Newt, Jacob, Neeki, and Tina quietly walked up the stairs to her apartment. Newt and Tina stood on both sides of Jacob, helping him stand up. Neeki was next to Newt as usual. He made retching sounds as they continued to walk up to her apartment.
"That you, Tina?"
They all froze.
Tina shushed the three others. "Yes, Mrs. Esposito!"
"Are you alone?"
"I'm always alone, Mrs. Esposito!"
The group walked into the apartment. The apartment was enlivened by workaday magic. An iron was working away on its own in a corner. A clotheshorse revolved clumsily on its wooden legs in front of a fire, drying an assortment of underwear. Magazines were scattered around.
Queenie was wearing a silk slip while mending a dress on a dummy. Jacob was struck by her beauty. Newt barely noticed her. He was peeking out their windows, impatiently waiting for the moment he would be allocated to leave. Neeki was copying his actions. She wrinkled her nose and tried to sniff the outside world through the window. Newt chuckled lightly.
"If the windows are closed, we won't be able to smell the outside," Newt said.
Neeki tilted her head to the side.
"She wants to know why," Queenie responded.
"Gentlemen, this is my sister. You want to put something on, Queenie?" Tina asked.
Newt stepped away from the windows. "You can understand her? You're a Legilimens?"
Queenie seemed unfazed by her lack of clothing. "Yeah, but I always have trouble with your kind - Brits. It's the accent. Who are you?"
"That's Mr. Scamander," Tina replied. "He's committed a serious infraction of the National Statute of Secrecy - "
"He's a criminal?" she asked, impressed.
"Uh-huh, and this is Mr. Kowalski. He's a No-Maj - "
"A No-Maj? Teen - what are you up to?" Queenie asked worriedly.
"He's sick. It's a long story. Mr. Scamander has lost something and I'm going to help find it," Tina replied.
Queenie read Jacob's mind and said her opinions out loud. Jacob was in a dreamy state. It could have been because of the Murtlap, but everyone else was sure it was because of Queenie.
"Earlier, you said Neeki wanted to know why. What did she want to know?" Newt asked.
"Oh - Neeki wanted to know why she can't smell through windows," Queenie answered as she waltzed around the room.
Newt's face morphed into shock. "But how is that possible?"
Queenie tilted her head to the side. "Well, Mr. Scamander, it's quite easy to understand her. She doesn't have an accent like you."
"No, I meant how. She can barely speak a full sentence."
"Maybe she's not used to using her voice. Although, I can hear her just fine."
"What is she... What is she thinking at this moment?" Newt asked.
"Oh... Her mind is pretty blank. I'd say she's thinking of an image rather than words. It's harder for me to see images," Queenie explained. She paused. "Yes, I can very much try. She sees... It's a stuffed animal and... Oh. I see Durmstrang Institution."
"I found Neeki in Asia. Durmstrang is far North of Europe," Newt stated. "She couldn't have attended Durmstrang, or people would have been looking for her."
"I'm sorry. I can't help you there," Queenie said.