Catch Me If I Fall

The Detour-Chapter 3

Linda didn't understand why muggles couldn't marry wizards. In Britain they did not have that law. Despite the entirety of her extended family believing muggles are inferior, Linda does not hold that belief.

"Because of me?" asks Newt.

"Yea you," answers Queenie. "It was in Spellbound, here I brought a copy for you," she says handing him an American wizarding gossip paper.

Newt gabs the paper and sits down at his table; everyone else does the same. He begins to read the paper:

"Beast Tamer Newt to Wed!" next to the headline, "Britain's Heartthrobs Engaged!"

"Britain's Beast Tamer to Wed?" says Newt repeating the headline in disgust. Linda chuckles at the title. "Don't be so smug about it, 'heartthrob'," sasses Newt.

For the second time that night Linda began to choke on her water. "Let me see that," she says ripping the paper out of Newt's hands.

"No they've got it all wrong, Theseus is engaged to Leta, not me," retorts Newt.

Linda begins to think how it could be easy for someone to mistakenly think that Leta is engaged to Newt, based on how she was looking at him adoringly in that picture.

"I know right!" blurts Queenie. Linda begins to panic and wonder if Queenie is reading her mind. "Yes, I'm reading your mind." She then turns her attention back to Newt, leaving Linda in shock, "I'm sorry sweetie I don't know what to say. 'Teen read that and started dating someone else. He's an Auror. His name is Achilles Tolliver. "

Newt begins to notice Jacob's clumsiness and goes to help him out in the living room.

"I can't believe I'm really meeting you," muses Queenie. "I read all about you and Newt's brother in Spellbound. Your story is, well it's- wow. Two childhood friends go to war, fall in love," Queenie frowns. "But I guess none of that is true if he's marrying that other girl then, huh?"

"No," replies Linda honestly. "The papers like to make a story about it. It's good entertainment I suppose."

"I don't know," says Queenie. "All those pictures looked so real. Are you sure the two of you have never dated?"

"Well technically—"

"You've enchanted him, haven't you?" accuses Newt in his mind.

"I have not!" replies Queenie, a little too quickly.

"Then you won't mind if I do this," says Newt drawing his want on Jacob.

Queenie steps in-front of him, shielding him from Newt casting any counter-enchantments. "Please don't!"

"Queenie, you've got nothing to fear if he wants to get married," says Newt. "We can just lift the enchantment and he can tell us himself."

Queenie this for a moment, and slowly moves aside. Jacob who now has a wand pointed at him says, " What you got there? Whatcha gonna do? Whatcha gonna do with that Mr. Scamander?"

Newt casts the spell, "Surgito." Jacob reacts as if he has had a bucket of water thrown on him. Newt takes a moment to let Jacob orient himself, "Congratulations on your engagement Jacob."

"Wait what?" he turns to Queenie questioningly. He must have said something not pleasant in his mind because Queenie grabs her case, a few items falling out as she runs out the door.

"Queenie!" says Jacob as he starts towards the door. "Well it was nice to meet you Trunk Girl, nice to see you Newt. Where the hell am I?"

"London," says Newt and Linda in unison.