Despite her doubts, Tina’s heart warmed at her sister’s reaction to the news.
She had made Newt tell her (It had been his idea after all), and Queenie had all but pounced onto the man to hug him, as she thanked him. Tina was about to step in to rescue him, seeing his discomfort, when the legilimens freed him.
“Oh, honey you’re wonderful. He’s gonna be happy, so happy.” she giggled, jumping in delight. “I can’t wait to see his face when he finds out.”
Tina had supposed as much, but she still could not agree wholeheartedly with it.
“I want to be there. Just be there and see him.” Queenie said immediately, reading her mind. “There would be no danger in that.”
“I guess not,” Tina admitted with a sigh. “Newt and I will go to his neighborhood tomorrow, and he will follow Jacob and find out where he works. Then we’ll see how to get the occamy eggshells to him discreetly.”
“It will work out, there must be an easy way to do it,” Newt added, enthusiastic. “A superficial knowledge of his daily routine will give us enough information.”
He searched for Tina’s eyes while he spoke, in a discreet search for approval, tearing a little smile out of her. “I should go finish the feedings, I won’t be long.”
“Go, we'll start dinner.”
As soon as the case lid close, the legilimens turned to her sister.
“He's so sweet to think of that.”
“Yes, he is.” Tina agreed, heading towards the kitchen. “Any ideas about dinner? I was thinking maybe a… “
“I wanted to thank you too, Teen.” Queenie interrupted. “This means a lot to me.”
Tina shook her head softly. “It’s really all Newt’s doing, my part will probably be very small.”
“I know you don’t like this, and you’re still helping. “
“It’s not that…” she said. “I don’t want you to be hurt in any way, that’s all. I have nothing against Jacob, and I have no doubt he is a good man and deserves a chance. If circumstances were different…”
“Yes, if only..” Queenie sighed. “No, I will not be sad. This is good news.”
“Yes.” Tina smiled. “Everything's going to be fine.”
------------------------------
Her part in the search the next morning, was quite small indeed: She had taken Newt to Jacob's street and they had managed to find the right building. It could have been easier for them to just apparate to the apartment in question, but they didn't want to cause another commotion nor give the baker the fright of his life again. Luckily for them, Tina knew the neighborhood and could apparate the both of them far enough to not raise any suspicions. They placed themselves across the street.
A little after six o'clock, they saw Jacob's figure cross the building door. He stopped to exchange a few words with two women that were passing by, and shake hands briefly with an old man who was sitting on the doorsteps before going his way. As he walked away, Tina saw how his affable smile disappeared, and his face fell. He looked tired and discouraged. She supposed a canning factory would crush people’s spirits as hard as the wand permit office, and couldn’t help but sympathize with him even more.
Newt and Tina parted ways not long after, and she hurried to pick up something for breakfast on her way to work. It would be better to be early.
The morning was relatively quiet, with more paperwork to be completed, informs to be delivered and files to be read. The head of the department had instructed her to find a connection between Grindelwald’s whereabouts in the past year, and his knowledge of an obscurus’ existence in America. The main concern was that he may try to do it again. The man had been gathering quite a lot of support in Europe, and it was urgent to know if there were more people involved in his infiltration of MACUSA, and how exactly did he plan to use the obscurus.
Nobody seemed remotely suspicious of the possibility of Credence surviving, but Newt’s comment the day before kept running through Tina’s mind. It presented a dilemma for her.
There was a high chance, if Credence was alive, that notifying the authorities would put the boy’s life in danger. But if she hid it from her superiors there was also a high chance of being kicked out of the department again.
Tina knew that, despite her recent success, her job was still in thin air. One more reckless action and nobody would care if she had helped capture Grindelwald.
It would be prudent to keep her mouth shut for the time being. Once she was cleared for field work again, which was bound to happen shortly if MACUSA wanted her to handle the case, it wouldn’t be difficult to do some discreet inquiries on the side. If she found proof of Credence's survival, she would see about talking to someone about it.
------------------
Tina skipped lunch to get home and feed the creatures. She had insisted upon it, and Newt had prepared her a list with instructions, that she intended to follow dutifully.
The first one on the list was the erumpent, which was easy enough. The bowltruckles proved to be more of a challenge, not because they were particularly hard to feed, but because Pickett wanted to accompany her around and refused to go back to the tree. After a five-minute argument, Tina accepted her defeat and allowed the bowltruckle into her pocket until she had to go back to work.
She sighed. As much as Queenie had teased her for the past week, she had never seriously stopped to consider what this closeness with Newt meant.
It was the first time she was inside the case without Newt, and she could see why he enjoyed spending time there on his own: It was the most peaceful place.
It was going to be hard to get used to her apartment without the case again. It was going to be hard to adapt to Newt’s absence.
She didn’t try to deny she had become fond of him. It was the extent of that fondness that was beginning to worry her.
She had never felt so comfortable with a man, or any person for that matter. He had managed to earn her trust, to make her share many of her most personal experiences in record time. The only person she had ever been close to was Queenie, but this was a different thing.
Tina walked past the graphorns without stopping, as Newt had requested her not to go near them on her own, and went for the niffler’s burrow. She pet the little head, distractedly keeping her locket away from the paws, still deep in thought.
She had brushed Queenie’s comments aside, thinking it was a part of her usual sense of humor. It seemed she was speaking from an honest observation. That, and whatever she could see inside of Newt’s head. For some reason, letting the legilimens tell her a thing or two on the subject had never been more tempting.
If there was something that Tina had always wanted, was to have things under control. All her life she had struggled to keep her emotions in check and be the rational adult she needed to be to survive. The emotions that were taking hold of her lately, she did not understand them, and that was unnerving. It shouldn’t matter to her what Newt thought. Still, she couldn’t help but care.
A movement of her wand summoned the bucket of pellets for the mooncalves.
She had to think. She had to break her feelings down into smaller pieces and understand them before anything.
What was it that she liked about Newt?
He was intelligent, observant, and cultured. Shy sometimes, though he was becoming less so in her presence. He had a sense of humor.
Maybe what had left a permanent impression on her was his kindness. He had proven to be a loyal friend in the short time they’d known each other.
Tina had learned to take care of herself and her sister quite young, used to not having another soul to rely on in times of trouble. Newt had come to her help, even when he didn’t have to, asking for nothing in return.
He had saved her from death, and helped her get her career back, but it was more than that. He had offered his friendship, shared his space and his work, brought back some sort of equilibrium into her life. After all that, how could he not be special to her?
A young mooncalf slid closer to her, gently urging her to distribute the rest of the food. She rushed to comply.
Well, there was nothing out of normal with all that. People could be special to other people without moving into romantic territory. Admiring someone didn’t necessarily mean being attracted to them on any other level.
She did find him handsome though, but that couldn’t be held against her; he was. Though perhaps not the kind of "handsome" women in the office would be obsessed over. He had nice eyes, and his smile was sweet. The freckles smattered all over his face gave him a boyish appearance; she liked it. His hands were rough and full of callouses, a product of his work, but also extremely gentle. And there was also these particular feeling that took hold of her every time their eyes met or their hands touched.
Tina bit her lip. That couldn’t be normal.
What if Queenie was right?
And if it was the case, what did it mean for her? What did it mean for Newt? What would Newt think of her if he knew? The idea alone made her squirm. She would probably die of shame.
Queenie’s outbursts hinted that she believed Newt had a similar regard for her. A few times Tina herself had even thought… But it couldn’t be. It just couldn’t.
Queenie may read minds, but she didn’t understand Newt the way Tina did. He was just too good, and his preference for her was merely the recognition of a kindred spirit. When he observed her, he was most probably moved by a purely scientific curiosity.
She had to search for evidence. Be alert, mistrust herself, and examine her own feelings and thoughts when he was around. Pay attention to his behavior. That was the best way to come to a conclusion.
She was an investigator, after all, she surely could handle that.
With that determination, Tina headed back to the shed, wishing she could stay some more. Only when she was climbing up the ladder did she remember Pickett was still in her coat.
“Pick, I have to go now,” she said, reaching for her pocket. “I’ll take you back to the tree, alright?”
The creature held to her fingers, emitting mournful chirps.
“We said until I was done with the feedings, that was the deal. Besides, Newt will be back soon. And I’ll come to see you later.”
Those words were far from making Pickett come to his senses; the next chirp was even more dramatic.
“Fine, you can stay in the shed if you want, that’s all. I can’t take you.”
There were some more protests, but Tina finally managed to place the grumpy bowltruckle over one of the shelves.
The mysterious girl had some flowers placed over her dark hair. Her factions were proportioned and graceful, and her smile was attractive.
It was then that her eyes fell on the picture. Of course she had seen it before, but she had never paid much mind to it.
The girl in the picture reminded her of Queenie a little bit. Not because they had some physical similarity; mostly because both of them irradiated confidence and grace.
For the first time, she wondered about the beautiful stranger. Who was she? What was her picture doing there? What did she mean to Newt?
“What does it matter to me?”
She had a sense of her inferiority. It was not a new; she had grown up with Queenie. She had always been conscious she was not “the beauty” in any place she had ever been. It hadn’t bothered her that much until that moment.
She left for work feeling slightly dejected.
Looking at the picture, she felt upset she wasn't as pretty as that girl, that her smile wasn't bolder, that her features were so imperfect, and her presence was so irrelevant.
And not for the first time, she wished for some of Queenie's confidence.
Hi there! This chapter was supposed to be longer, but I wanted to post a little something for the NewtinaMoments event, and I don't have enough time to finish the whole thing. I'm already late for that!
I have my last exam next week, so hopefully, I'll have time to work on my two unfinished stories during the summer.
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“This way, we'll make a stop to check on the graphorns.”
Wondering what a graphorn was, Tina followed Newt into the suitcase. Just as her first time in there, she wished she had another pair of eyes to take everything in. Educated to fear magical creatures, she found it equally strange and charming how the case could be such a welcoming place. She inhaled, letting her lungs fill with the fresh air. It smelled like summer.
Newt was carrying two buckets. They walked past Frank's empty enclosure, its golden sand glistening under the artificial sun, and then right into a wide plain territory.
Tina stopped in her tracks when she spotted two large creatures in the distance, followed by a smaller one. As they approached, she could see they were grayish purple, with a humped back and tentacles where their mouths should be. They didn't look as inoffensive as the niffler or Pickett.
Her heart nearly stopped as the giant beasts ran in Newt's direction at full speed. Her trembling hand went to her pocket again, prepared to interfere if it was necessary. But the man didn't seem worried in the least: When they were close enough, he took a few steps forward to meet them. He stroked one of the graphorn's head, and the enormous creature bowed meekly.
Tina watched the scene astonished. How did he come to befriend such a creature? The other two graphorns joined the first and reached for Newt with their tentacles in what she identified as an affectionate fashion. The smaller one was especially energetic; she supposed it was a baby.
“They are one of the last mating pairs in existence, I believe,” Newt said, looking back at her.
One of the animals noticed the witch, and emitted a nervous squeak, startling her.
“Ok, that's fine. She is a friend, alright?” Newt told the creature. Then to Tina “Graphorns can be aggressive. These two are used to me by now, but I usually don't have visitors.”
The baby stepped away from the group and made to approach Tina, who fought the impulse to retreat.
“You can pet the little one if you want, I think he'll let you. He let Jacob.” Newt's expression was saddened for a second; she noticed right away. “Just if you want.”
Tina didn’t want to pet a graphorn. The idea was scary. But she did want to cheer him up, to distract him from the loss of his friend. And considering he was allowing her to be there, the least she could do was participate.
“I suppose...I could try to do it,” she said slowly, taking a cautious step in the creature's direction. She extended her hand fearfully, only to take it away when the graphorn reaction was too brusque.
“Don't be afraid, he thinks you're playing,” Newt assured, watching her every movement. “He won't hurt you.”
“Ok.” Tina took a deep breath and reached for the creature again until she felt the slimy tentacles touching her hand. It tickled a bit, tearing a nervous chuckle from her. His head was soft, and he stayed still, enjoying the woman's caress. She felt a rush of pride at her success. Contented, she called for Newt “Does he have a name?”
“Ollie,” Newt answered as he threw big pieces of meat to the other graphorns. Tina could tell that he was keeping an eye on her and Ollie while he was at it. “He is just a few months old, born in the case. He was small for the species at birth, but he is growing up quite healthy.”
Tina looked at him in disbelief “This is small?”
“For a graphorn.”
They exchanged a smile, both much more comfortable than before. So Tina built up the courage to question him.
“If you don't mind me asking... Did you do this all by yourself? The suitcase?”
“Yes.” he left the first bucket aside and took the other, urged by the graphorns. “I lack the skill to make it perfect, but I improve it as much as I can.”
“Expansive spells are quite difficult to perform.” Tina observed, “Getting the space to imitate each creature's habitat can’t be easy. And I also noticed that the temperature changes from habitat to habitat. Do you adjust it for each creature?”
“As a matter of fact, I do,” he answered, surprised by her attention. “It took me some months to get it right, but I think I've got it now.”
“Then you're selling yourself short.” she decided. “I doubt many people could make something like this.”
“I know many who could do a much better job than me.” he stammered, modest, “They just wouldn't think of putting magical creatures in a suitcase. Imagination is my only strong suit.”
She smirked. “That I can believe.”
“I wanted someplace to carry the ones that had been injured or needed help. So I came up with this.”
“So... The British Ministry hired you to do research?” she was curious.
“The Ministry?” the idea seemed to amuse him. “No, certainly not. Why do you ask?”
“I thought you said you were researching magical beasts. And Madame Pickery mentioned something about your department, so I assumed...”
“No, the Ministry is not interested in magical creatures unless they cause trouble, or they are needed for war.” his tone revealed bitterness. “I did work at the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, though. House Elf Relocation, after I left Hogwarts.”
It was hard to think about the man in front of her working in a government building. It sounded like a bad idea. She settled for a prudent answer while Ollie played with her shirt cuffs. “You look like someone for a more… adventurous kind of job,”
“You're not wrong, it was the most tedious time of my life. I'm not one for desk jobs. But it was the best I could get after leaving…I mean, getting expelled from school.” he looked away.
“I see.” Tina wanted to ask more, but she knew it wouldn't be polite. And she could see that the topic made him uncomfortable. It was time to change the subject. “And what do you do now?”
“Well, after the war I got ascended to the Beast Division. I worked with dragons during the conflict, so I've gotten myself some sort of reputation with dangerous beasts,” he said without enthusiasm, as if the Ministry's approval was something to beware of. “A publishing house is interested in adding a compendium of magical creatures to their catalog, and the owner asked me if I was interested in writing it. That's what I'm doing at the moment.”
“You’re traveling to write that book.” she realized. “I’m sorry, I know you told me before but…”
“…you thought I was making it up to get rid of you?”
Tina blushed. “Something like that.”
“Yes, it seemed to me you didn’t believe a single word I was saying.” Newt came now to stand by her side, the bucket by his feet. Far from being offended, her reaction seemed to entertain him. “Not that I blame you. The part about the book was true, but I must confess I lied about having a wand permit.”
“Yes, I’m aware of that.”
“I should have said so, I’ve come to realize that you Americans love paperwork.” Even though he averted his eyes, she caught the cheeky smile on his face.
“I could dwell into some things I’ve noticed about Brits as well, Mr. Scamander.” She tried to sound indignant, but it wasn’t very convincing. Despite his awkward ways, she was starting to find him really nice. “I’ll arrange your wand permit tomorrow. It will look nice if MACUSA interrogates you.”
At some point during the conversation, she must have forgotten to pet Ollie, because he emitted a whine of protest. Trying to regain Tina’s attention, the creature pushed himself against her, almost sending her to the ground. She felt the tentacles licking her waist.
“Wait!” She laughed, trying to get away. “It tickles!”
Fortunately, Newt was fast to rescue her of Ollie’s affection. “That would be enough playing for today. What about some food now?”
He took a piece of meat out of the bucket and threw it far from them. The little graphorn ran after it.
“He doesn't measure his strength sometimes,” he justified, giving Tina an apologetic look. “This is all done. We can move on to the next one.”
Newt guided her as they retraced their steps to get to the erumpent's enclosure. He summoned a basin and a cloth from the shed as they walked past it. The erumpent made a strange noise when she saw them coming, as if protesting for the delay.
“You've met her already,” he murmured as an introduction. “I've fed her as soon as I came down, and I noticed she had a wound in one of her legs. Must have been during her escapade.”
“Would a healing spell work?”
“Yes, but it's always better to use something to soothe the pain first. That's what the murtlap essence is for.”
“That substance comes from that creature that bit Jacob?” she asked, observing the yellowish liquid full of curiosity. “How do you get it?”
“The murtlap has a growth upon its back, as you may have noticed. If the tentacles are correctly strained and pickled they give this solution. It's good to treat injuries.” He explained as he checked on the leg. The erumpent produced a painful sound. “She gets nervous when in pain. When I rescued her she had many wounds, I suspect she managed to escape from hunters.”
“I could apply the murtlap essence while you entertain her.” Tina offered. She was still wary of the beast, but she wanted to be useful. “Would that be of help?”
“Yes, that would be... If you don't mind.”
“I’ll do it.”
As Newt moved closer to the creature’s head, Tina went to kneel close enough to have a clear view of what she was doing. When her hand brushed the erumpent's leg, the creature emitted a loud cry of pain and tried to move. She took her hand away immediately and raized her eyes just in time to see how the tip of the horn brushed Newt's fringe, almost touching his forehead. She felt faint.
A strangled cry of alarm came out of her throat before she could refrain herself, scaring the creature, and earning a questioning look from Newt.
“Your head is too close to the horn.” She managed, voice shaking. “I don't know much about magical creatures, but I know the fluid in that horn is explosive. Erumpent horns are Class B tradable materials. What if she makes a sharp movement?”
Newt’s brow furrowed at the term “tradable material”, and Tina cursed herself. Why did she always have to say the wrong thing?
“The only way this horn could make something explode is if she attacks. Erumpents attack when they feel threatened. She knows I'm not gonna hurt her.” he said kindly but with enough firmness to leave no room for discussion. His momentary annoyance faded when he realized Tina was genuinely terrified.
“It's fine, I promise there’s no danger.” He reassured. “You can trust me.”
Tina met his eye for a moment, then nodded. She did trust him. Her trembling hand brought the damp cloth to the wound and started to work. The erumpent made some movements of discomfort, but the murtlap essence did her job in a matter of seconds, and soon the creature relaxed. Newt kept stroking her head and murmuring to her in a calming voice.
“You’re doing good, she’s feeling better.” He told Tina after some minutes. “Keep going, please.”
“Of course. I'm sorry I got so...” she tried to explain as she worked the injury with the most utmost care. “I had a... disagreeable experience once. The investigative team took down a smuggler. The man commercialized the explosive fluid and the horns in the black market. Here in America, these things are under much more control than in Europe and are very expensive. It's a business that could move millions of dragots.”
She kept her eyes on what she was doing, aware that Newt was listening to her every word.
“We got the man’s location; he had a hideout, someplace when he met with his customers. During the operation, one of my colleagues accidentally sent a jinx in a horn's direction.” Newt’s horrified gasp was audible. “The only reason it didn't kill him on the spot was that the horn wasn't that close, but he and the ones near him stayed in the hospital for weeks due to the burns. And we had to thank the place the guy used as a deposit was warded, otherwise, it would have blown the whole neighborhood. Most of the team got hurt because the explosion made the building collapse.”
“And what happened to you?”
“I was lucky. I was ordered to register the smuggler's office and search for evidence. The explosion happened far from where I was. A large piece of the ceiling fell on me, and I broke some bones. But compared to most of the team, I was fine.” She wrung out the cloth before continuing. “The important is we got him. The guy had kept a pretty zealous register of his sells; he got a list of his clients and of traders that provided him with other dangerous materials. There was enough evidence to arrest him and some others. It was one of my first missions, I had just been cleared for fieldwork. It was exciting.”
“You love your job.”
“I do,” she smiled sadly. “It's comforting to think that you can make the world a little better, that you can help people feel safe. Since what happened with Credence...It's been hard.”
“But after everything that happened with Grindelwald MACUSA will surely reconsider your demotion,” Newt ventured. “Right?”
“It's not that easy, I'm afraid. Breaking the National Statute of Secrecy is not taking lightly.”
“Even if it is for a good cause?” it was obvious he was holding his tongue to avoid criticizing MACUSA’s policies in front of her. But his tone gave him away.
“I know you think that some of our laws are ridiculous,” Tina sighed “And after all that happened I have to recognize that you may be right. But our history with the no-maj world is still too fresh for it to be otherwise.”
Tina took out her wand and gave a light tap to the now clean wound, watching as it started to close itself.
“I thought maybe if I could prove that I was good for something they will let me come back. That is also why... Well, I was so desperate to show them that I had arrested you,” she confessed, ashamed.
“And I'm still sorry. But the worst part is that I got demoted for nothing because, in the end, I wasn’t of any help to Credence.”
“What happened was not your fault.”
She wasn’t so sure. “I have no idea what MACUSA might do now. Things won't look great for me after all of this. I'll be lucky if they don't kick me out of the Wand Permit Office as well.”
Newt frowned. “But they can't do that. You were involved in the capture of Grindelwald. If anything, they should promote you.”
“I hope you’re right.” The alternative was just too frightening to consider at the moment. “And I think this is ready. Bandages now?”
With a last flick of her wand, she got the bandage to cover the sensitive patch of skin.
“There you go,” she stood up, petting the creature’s side. “Is that good?”
“Perfect.” For a moment he looked as if he was going to say something else, but seemed to decide against it. “The mooncalves are next.”
Conjuring a new bucket, this one full of pellets, he gestured for her to follow. This time, they took a different path, moving deeper inside the case. It was far bigger than she had thought. She identified the occamy's nest to the left, but Newt kept walking, silent again.
He stopped in a habitat bathed in the moonlight. “Look, over there.”
Tina did as he said, and was rewarded with one of the strangest and most beautiful scenes she had ever come across: On top of a hill, there were three mooncalves. The creatures were still, their enormous eyes reflecting every star in the sky. One could almost believe they were staring at some unknown mystery, far more complex and distant than humans could ever grasp.
When they noted they were not alone, more mooncalves came out of nowhere and surrounded them both. Newt brought his hand inside the bucket and took out a handful of pellets, throwing them around. Tina laughed as the creatures bobbed adorably up and down to catch the food. She couldn’t take her eyes off them.
“Would you like to feed them?” Newt offered, taking in her enraptured expression. He was staring at her more intently than ever before. It was as if, at last, her reaction was measuring up to what he wished.
She nodded, excited. “I’d like that.”
A loud crashing noise coming from one of the nearby enclosures interrupted the quiet moment. Newt identified it in a matter of seconds. “That's the niffler again. I'll be back in a minute.”
Before she could answer, he passed her the bucket and disappeared into a different habitat. Left to her own devices, Tina distributed the pellets with care, trying to reach all of the hopeful faces. She felt strangely ecstatic: for the first time in months, she was at ease; she was having fun. Two days ago she wouldn't have imagined she would be feeding some beautiful wide-eyed creatures inside a suitcase. If only Queenie could see them!
“Queenie.”
The thought was enough to take her back to reality. “Queenie is alone upstairs. She wasn’t feeling well and I left her alone.”
How long has she been in the case?
“I found him. He was trying to steal the occamy eggshells again, the little bugger.” Newt reappeared, carrying the niffler in his arms. “You won’t believe it, but it's the fifth time this week.”
Tina gave him a forced smile, her previous cheerfulness forgotten. “The mooncalves are ready…I think I should be going now.”
His face fell. “Oh...of course. I'll accompany you back to the shed.”
The first portion of the walk was filled with an uncomfortable silence. Tina was torn between being concerned for Queenie, and worrying that her sudden change in mood had upset Newt. Why couldn’t she do something right for once? She should have explained why she wanted to leave, instead of being so impolite.
“Is there something wrong?” They had almost reached the shed, and the question was so abrupt that it took her a good few seconds to react. Newt was looking at her in earnest, making an effort to keep eye contact and find some answer in her features. His real question seemed to be “Did I do something wrong?”
“No, not at all,” she replied in a rush. “It's just that I left Queenie alone upstairs, and after what happened with Jacob... I should be keeping her company. I lost track of time.”
“Sorry I kept you so long.”
“Oh, don't be... I wish I could stay longer.” Tina said sincerely. “It's nice in here.”
Another idea came to her mind. “You didn't have breakfast. Sorry, I'm a terrible host. I'll go check on Queenie and prepare something to eat.”
“That's alright. You don't have to...” he stammered. “I should be on my way, I have to look for accommodation if MACUSA wants me to stay in town for a few more days.”
“Accommodation?”
“You could perhaps recommend someplace? If that's not...”
“But there's no need, you can stay here if you like.” she had always assumed he would stay. “Maybe I should have invited him earlier.”
“I wouldn't want to impose. I'm afraid I have caused you and your sister enough trouble already.”
“It's no trouble, you are more than welcome to stay. It's the least I can do after all that happened.”
She read the indecision in his face. He wasn’t sure he should accept.
“Please, stay at least until you know how long MACUSA will need you.” She insisted. “Queenie and I would love to have you.”
“Well... I suppose I could stay and sleep here in the case, so as not to be on much on the way. It would be safer if anyone here tries to escape. And I could keep the case in your living room.” He suggested, still insecure. “Would that be alright?”
“Yes, whatever you prefer.” Tina accepted immediately. “So, breakfast. I don't know what time is it."
“I should secure the niffler's burrow. I'll be upstairs in five minutes.”
Tina nodded and headed towards the stairs. Before climbing up, she turned around and called him again. “Oh, and Mr. Scamander?”
Newt looked at her.
“Thank you for showing me around. I liked it.”
A timid smile crept up his face. “You can call me Newt... If you want.” he must have believed he had overstepped, because he added, “I mean, after everything that happened the formality seems...”
“After a close to death experience, using first names wouldn't be out of place.” She agreed, much to the man’s relief. “But if I call you Newt you can call me Tina. Deal?”
“That's...Yes”
Tina smiled. “I'll see you upstairs when you're done, Newt.”
--------------------------
The first thing Tina noticed while stepping out of the case was the smell of pancakes. Queenie had the radio on, and she was moving around the small kitchen. She was wearing one of her new dresses, her hair, and make-up as flawless as any other day. As always, she detected Tina’s thoughts before seeing her.
“I thought we could do with a late breakfast. It's almost lunchtime, but for some reason, I felt like making pancakes.”
Despite the seemingly cheerful voice, Queenie's eyes were red and sore, revealing that she had been crying. That fact monopolized all of Tina's attention. It took some moments before her sister’s words dawned on her. “Lunchtime?”
“You got entertained.”
“I didn't realize I was there so long,” she admitted. “I shouldn't have left you all by yourself, I'm so sorry.”
“That's fine Teen. I needed some space.” Queenie put the pancakes on three plates. Tina noticed she wasn't using magic. “I took a nap, and I'm feeling better.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes,” she said firmly. “What about you? You had a good time.”
“I did.” Tina put the kettle on, and busied herself with the cups, letting Queenie fish the information out of her mind.
“He doesn't resent me for what happened. He understands why I did it.”
“See? I told you.”
“He was so nice about it. More than I deserved.”
“You need to stop beating yourself up,” Queenie scolded her. “But you didn't spend all that time apologizing, did you?”
“He invited me in to show me the mooncalves,” Tina explained, delighted. “You should see them, they are beautiful Queenie! Newt even let me feed them.”
“So we are using first names now, huh?”
Tina's face turned red.”What about it?”
“Nothing, just saying. You've been using it in your head anyways.”
Tina decided to just ignore her sister's try to mock her, and kept talking. “I also played with a baby graphorn. And I touched the erumpent. And I think I had a conversation with a bowltruckle.” she tried to convey the amazing experience she had just gone through. It was impossible. “He told me lots of things about all the creatures. It's impressive how much he knows.”
“He talks, then?”
“He does. I asked some questions about magical beasts and he transformed.” A move of her wand sent the cups to the table. ”It's like he turns into a different person when he talks about his job.”
“Reminds me of someone.” Queenie sniggered. “It doesn't surprise me you get on. I think you two are very much alike.”
“I haven't looked at it that way. Maybe you're right.”
“By the way, I invited him to stay with us while he is in New York.” she wanted Queenie's approval.”Is that alright?”
“Of course it is Teenie! I quite like him.” She sent her a teasing smirk. “And I suspect I’m not the only one.”
Tina elbowed her and rushed to her seat at hearing the creak of the case latches.
Newt's curly mop of hair came into view. When he noticed both women watching him, he looked intimidated.
“There you are! Come sit down honey,” Queenie called sweetly. “You must be hungry.”
Newt stepped out of the case and approached them, head still down. “May I help you with something?”
“We won't make you work, you're our guest! Sit down, everything is ready.”
Newt took a sit in front of Tina, staring uncomfortably at her. She gave him a warm smile, trying her best to put him at ease.
“I forgot! You've got a letter Teen, it's got MACUSA's seal.”
Tina froze. She summoned the letter from the kitchen counter and opened it, bracing herself for the bad news. Her expression was indecipherable as she read. Once she was done, she addressed Newt.
“We are both expected early tomorrow.”
“The two of us?”
“They want to question us about the recent events. They know you’re here somehow.”
“It's gonna be fine, it’s just routine; nothing to worry about.” Interjected Queenie, eager to change the subject. She sat down and took her fork. “Now, Tina was telling me all about the mooncalves and their nocturnal dances, were you not Teenie?”
The question snapped Tina out of her gloomy state. “I was…but I'm sure Newt can explain it better to you.”
“That’d be swell!” The legilimens' eyes turned to the man, waiting for him to pick up the cue.
The magizoologist was once more startled by the women’s attention. His gaze went cautiously from Queenie to Tina, stopping at the last one in a silent cry for help. At Tina’s slight nod of encouragement, he shyly started talking.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the
Organization for Transformative Works
A little exploration of the events leading to the Goldstein sister's fight before Crimes of Grindelwald.
This is something I feel was important to the plot, but has been ignored for the last two movies. As it seems nobody's gonna explain it to me, I tried to write it myself.
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A little something I wrote for the first day of the Newtina Week. I hope you like it! (At least a little)
December 8th, 1926
For the third time in the last five minutes, Tina's head turned to look at the old and battered leather case laying on her living room's floor. It had been almost half an hour since Newt has disappeared inside it, politely rejecting Queenie's offer of breakfast while muttering something about "checking on everyone".
She wondered if the creatures were alright. If he was alright.
"If you want to talk to him, why don't you just do it?" her sister's voice startled her. Queenie had been quiet since they came back to the apartment, Jacob's departure too painful to be spoken of yet. Looking at the usually vivacious eyes, Tina couldn't help but notice that some of their brightness was missing that morning.
"I'm sure he wants to be alone," Tina answered, at last, looking down at her untouched cup of coffee.
Before long, she felt Queenie's soft presence peeking into her mind, questioning, trying to find what was concerning her. Tina didn't fight her: Sometimes not speaking was easier.
"Graves got him, I would like to check on him, see if he is alright. But I don't want to invade his personal space."
"C'mon Teen, he didn't mind when we were all there earlier."
No, he didn't seem to mind then. For the first time since Tina has met him, the man was at ease, comfortable, in his element. The case brought out a different side of him. Thinking of it, she couldn't help but shudder at the thought of what MACUSA might have done with it, feeling a new pang of guilt coursing through her.
"You wanted to help Teen, you wouldn't hurt anyone on purpose."
"But I'm responsible for almost destroying all of it," Tina said, remorseful "Plus getting him killed. I'm not sure he wants me around."
"I feel so sorry for what I did."
"I don’t think he holds any grudge against you," Queenie pointed. A little smile played on her lips before continuing "I would even go as far as saying he likes you."
"What is that supposed to mean?"
Queenie chuckled and shook her head, shooting her sister a knowing look.
Tina frowned, but didn't have the heart to scold her. Queenie had just smiled for the first time that morning.
"If making some fun of her older sister helps her cheer up, I'm more than willing to put up with it."
Queenie's expression softened. "I'll be fine Teenie. Really."
"I wish there was something I could do for you."
"I know Teen" she managed a tearful smile, turning to put her empty cup in the sink. She appeared to gain quick control over her emotions, for when she spoke again her voice had turned from sad, to playful "And I also know you're trying to change the subject. We were talking about you speaking to Newt, remember?"
"I was not trying to do anything." Tina protested "And I'm still not convinced it's a good idea."
"I tell you what we'll do," Queenie said, conspiratorial "I'll prepare a nice cup of tea, and you can take it downstairs. It's the perfect excuse to go see him and apologize."
Tina sighed, knowing Queenie was right: She should go.
"Alright."
-----------------------
With the cup of tea levitating by her side, Tina descended the narrow stairs into the case. The small shed was silent, the desk covered in papers, but some vials and bandages could be seen on top of them as if used in haste. Newt was nowhere to be seen.
The door leading to the habitats was slightly open.
"Mr. Scamander?" Tina called softly.
Assuming he was somewhere far from the shed, Tina didn't think looking for him outside on her own would be a very wise choice. She had been there just once, and she was not as familiar with the magical beasts as to feel safe. The only option was waiting for him.
Careful not to spill the tea on anything important, Tina placed the cup on the desk, over a few sketches. She recognized the little green creature on one of the pages: A bowltruckle, just like the one Newt carried in his pocket.
"Pickett," she remembered absentmindedly.
Her gaze landed on some more sketches decorating the wall over the desk. She couldn't recognize most of the creatures, but she quickly found a niffler, drawn in soft charcoal lines. The artist was quite skilled at capturing every detail in the paper. The beauty of the work made her want to take a closer look.
Tina was leaning over the desk when a noise coming from the door made her turn. Apart from the door now completely open, no one, human or creature, could be seen. But she could feel something watching her.
"Mr. Scamander?" she called again, voice a little shaky.
The wooden floor creaked. Now on full alert, Tina's hand went to her wand pocket, wondering if a protective spell would work. The last thing she needed at the moment was hurting one of the creatures.
Suddenly, she saw a flash of something dark running towards her. Tina retreated until her back hit the stairs, feeling something clinging to her right leg.
She stayed still, expecting to feel fangs or at least claws sinking into her skin. But to her surprise, the thing stuck to her ankle, tugging on her trouser hem.
Tina looked down and sighed in relief: It was just the niffler.
The creature seemed keen on having her attention, and Tina was taken aback by the fact that he wasn't scared of her.
"Mmm... Hi?" she said, still recovering from the fright.
Tina knelt on the floor slowly, leaning down to watch the creature from up close. Seeing his chance, the niffler climbed onto her lap and stretched his paws to reach for the locket hanging from her neck. The witch caught him just in time and took the paw off the piece gently. The creature's insistence made her laugh.
"You can't have this one," she smiled "I'm sorry, but I can't give it to you."
"Tina? What are you doing down here?"
Newt's voice made her jump. Tina made to stand up, but with the niffler on her lap, she just managed to stumble ungracefully and land back down on the floor. From there, he stared at the man standing in front of her, not knowing what to do with herself.
Newt didn't appear to be upset to find her in his territory. He just seemed surprised and maybe a little curious. Tina was about to open her mouth and try to explain her presence there when Newt cut her short.
"Absolutely not."
It took her a few seconds to realize that he was not speaking to her, but the niffler. He caught it and lifted it from Tina's knees.
"You give it back right now," he ordered.
Tina watched in silence as the creature struggled to escape Newt's hands, but the man managed to take something away from the rebellious paws. Only when he gestured for her to take it did she notice it was a chain. Her hand went to her neck, shocked to find the locket was no longer there. The niffler must have taken advantage of her moment of confusion.
"I'm sorry. He is always causing trouble, you see."
Tina gave him a weak smile and stood up, her face red with embarrassment. She took the locket from his hand, cursing herself for being so clumsy. The niffler, still in Newt's arms, stretched his body trying to take it again. His huff of utter disappointment tore a quiet laugh from both of them.
When she took her eyes from the furry troublemaker, she found Newt staring at her. He immediately looked away, hiding again behind his fringe. Tina's gaze turned to the floor as well, uncomfortable.
"I just... I thought you would like some tea," she said in a rush, stepping back and gesturing to the cup.
"Oh...I," he stammered, awkward as ever "That sounds... lovely, thank you."
Leaving the niffler on the floor again, he approached the desk and took the cup.
"It's very kind of you," he added as if feeling he was not being agreeable enough. He was still avoiding her eyes when he took a sip of his tea.
"It's no trouble at all. Queenie prepared it." she noticed Pickett observing her from Newt's shirt pocket, as if trying to figure her out. It made her even more nervous.
"And I was also wondering if you are alright," Tina ventured again "Graves... Grindelwald... I don't know what spell he used on you, but we keep some healing potions and dittany in the apartment if you need anything..."
"Oh, it's nothing to worry about. Just some burns. I have the right ointment for that," leaving the cup aside, he took the vials on the desk and put them into one of the drawers "I keep myself quite stocked of that kind of thing. Some creatures can be a handful when they are scared or hurt, and I have taken a hit more than once."
"Of course, I should have realized. I'm glad it's not serious."
He gave her a half-smile, and keep tidying the shed. His bowtie was undone, his sleeves up; he was in his most relaxed state. Still, her presence made him uneasy somehow. Maybe the best thing to be done was apologizing and letting him be.
"Mr. Scamander, I..." Tina struggled, not knowing where to start "Well..."
His gaze turned to her, sensing her discomfort. "Is there anything else you wanna tell me?" He asked gently. This time, he even met her eye for a few seconds. He looked kind, and it gave Tina enough confidence to speak.
"Yes," she admitted "I would like... I wanted to apologize."
"What for?" Newt asked, clueless.
Tina looked down. Where to start? "I took you to MACUSA. You almost die because of me."
She felt Newt's eyes on her, dreading the few seconds of silence before he spoke again.
"It's alright," he answered softly "I know you meant no harm."
"No, of course I did not but..." she still didn’t dare meet his eyes "What I did almost get us both killed. And the case... All the creatures..." her voice broke.
And then she did look at him, eyes full of regret. "I didn't want to hurt them, I swear. I thought it was the right thing to do, so nobody else would get injured. Had I know you have all of this down here... It's beautiful, and I could have destroyed it. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." Tina faced away from him, trying to calm down. She didn’t want to make a scene in front of him. She was being ridiculous.
Before she could run away, a careful hand was placed over her arm.
"Tina," something in the way he said her name made her look up. Now Newt was making eye contact with her "I know you did it with the best intention. And I know I was not exactly cooperative. I didn't tell you I had more creatures because I thought you wouldn't understand. I shouldn't have lied. Or omitted information. I'm sorry too."
Newt didn't blame her. He didn't hate her.
"You also saved my life," she murmured, keeping her eyes on his "Back at the execution cell. Even after what I did."
"I couldn't just leave you, you were there because of me after all."
"No, it was my fault we..."
"You arrested me as soon as I set a foot in New York," Newt interrupted "and they accused you of abetting me. I rather thought I was the one dragging you to your death. You were just doing what you thought was safest. I can understand that, I don't blame you Tina."
She knew he meant it, he looked sincere. And he kept calling her by her first name with such familiarity. She felt as if a huge weight had been lifted from her shoulders.
"Thank you," she whispered, moved "For everything."
"There's nothing to thank me for." he offered her a quiet smile that she returned without thinking.
The next moment Tina heard a curious chirp and saw Pickett's small body moving from Newt's pocket to his shoulder.
"Hi Pick," he greeted.
Tina didn't understand the creature, but she could swear that he was telling Newt something about her, because all of the sudden he remembered his hand was still in her arm, and took it away, blushing.
Pickett moved across Newt's arm to get to the desk, and stepped on his sketch. From there, he started chirping again, trying to catch Tina's attention.
"I think he wants to show you his picture," Newt explained, amused "He is rather vain for a bowltruckle."
Tina smiled and came closer to the desk again. The creature watched her expectantly: It was clear he was waiting for her to give her opinion.
"It's a good likeness," Tina admitted, addressing Pickett. It was strange, but it seemed like the right thing to do "But if you ask me, I think you are much more handsome in person."
Pickett chirped happily, pleased by the compliment. Tina searched for Newt's face and found approval.
"You're going to brag about it with the others, don't you?" he sighed, addressing the bowltruckle in fond exasperation. Pickett's enthusiastic chirp sounded like an affirmation.
"Did you do these yourself?" Tina asked shyly, pointing at the sketches "I was watching them before the niffler found me."
"Ah... Yes. I usually... It's useful," he answered while Pickett climbed over his shoulder again "To study them."
"They are excellent. I don't know most of the creatures, but your sketches of the ones I've seen until now are very realistic."
The compliment was unexpected to him, judging by the way her words startled him. His ears turned a light shade of pink, and he murmured a quiet "Thanks"
"I learned some," she continued, eager to prove herself to him "I know the niffler, the occamy, the demiguise," Tina pointed at each sketch as she spoke "And what was the name of this one? With the nasty bite?"
"The murtlap."
"Right. And I also caught a glimpse of this one when I was here earlier," she added, pointing at a sketch that showed a creature with big eyes "Looks friendly. I don't think you mentioned it."
"That's a mooncalf," Newt explained "Mooncalves are friendly. They only emerge from their burrows at the full moon."
Tina observed how he didn't stutter or hide away this time. Intrigued, she decided to encourage him a little further.
"Do they?"
"Yes, mooncalves perform these very complex dances in isolated areas in the moonlight," he continued, shifting from shy to confident "They often leave geometric patterns on the fields. Muggles make up all kinds of crazy stories about it."
"How do you know all that?" Tina asked impressed.
"I learned by observation, during my trips. But I still haven't figured out what the dances mean," he sounded disappointed "I believe it could be a mating ritual, but I can't tell for sure."
"So, you found the mooncalf during your trip?"
"There are more of them here in the case. I could show you if you want."
Tina stared at him in surprise. Was he inviting her into the case?
"I mean... You don't have to," mistaking his expression, Newt immediately retreated, looking down "You must be tired, and not at all interested in..."
"No, I'd like to see them," Tina said quickly. Her own eagerness made her feel self-conscious. "That is, if I'm not interrupting you," she added in a calmer tone.
He blinked, her enthusiasm catching him unawares. But he looked pleased. "You wouldn't be interrupting at all. I still have some creatures to tend to, but I can do it on the way."
Tina’s face broke into a smile "I'd love to see the mooncalves, then."
Hi everyone! I've never written fanfiction before (Or participated in a fan event at all) but it always cheers me up to see other people's work. With all the negativity that has been going around in the fandom during the last months, I wanted to do something nice to contribute, and maybe cheer someone else up. This fic was written for the first day of the Newtina Week. It was supposed to be short, but I got carried away and I'm writing ten chapters. It's not finished, so I'm only posting the first chapter this week. I imagine not many people will be reading my fic, but I'm really enjoying writing it, so I'm posting here anyways. I also have a very specific question for anyone who happens to be reading: How does a bowltruckle sound? I described Pickett's sounds like a "chirp" but I'm not sure if that is correct. I've been stressing over this detail for days. Thank you for reading😊
Thoughts on Fantastic Beasts Franchise: Why am I upset? (But still a little hopeful)
I've been reading everybody else's opinion on the trailer and the future of the franchise for the past two weeks, so I thought I could write something about it myself. I'm not as happy as I expected to be, and there are some reasons for it. I’m going to start with a short overview of what the first two FB movies left, and what I think about recent news.
I watched Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them in November 2017, a year after its release. As someone who grew up reading Harry Potter, I was curious about the movie but didn't expect much from it. Even if it offered an opportunity to go back to the magical world, I wasn't sure I could love a whole new set of characters as much as I had loved the HP ones, or find their story as compelling as the one I knew. But I wanted to give it a chance.
During the first half of the movie, I was lost. There were wands, magical creatures, and adventure, but it felt unfamiliar. It wasn't until the death cell scene that I started to find it interesting. For me, it's the film's breaking point: The moment when Newt and Tina start to trust each other, and when along with Queenie and Jacob, they become a team; one that can go through impossible and dangerous situations together. A little like Harry, Ron, and Hermione, but different. These characters were not kids in a school, dealing with the typical problems of teenagers while saving the world; but adults facing real-life (magical and non-magical) troubles the best they could. I could connect with that. From then on, I started to enjoy myself.
I think the reason I loved the film so much was that it brought back to me the excitement I felt for HP as a child. For some years these books and movies were my entire world, and even years later, they hold a special place in my heart. For two hours I had the strange and wonderful sensation of being an eleven-year-old all over again. But it also made me emotional in ways the HP movies never managed to. My favorite scene is the one where Newt releases the thunderbird, obbliviating New York, with all the wizards walking around and reconstructing the city. Watching it always makes me feel strangely emotional. It may be that as we grow up we start to need more magic in our life, or at least, be able to imagine a world when magic can solve problems and make things better.
By now, I must have watched the film like a million times, and it still makes me feel that childlike excitement. As the credits rolled that first time, I remember I ran downstairs to take my copy of fbawtft and make sure that Newt indeed, married Tina.
I watched it again a few days later and put special attention to detail. I think one of the biggest assets of the film was that the HP references were subtle: If you were a fan you could get excited by identifying a spell, or remembering a creature from Hagrid's lessons, or wondering why the obscurus description sounded familiar. But someone who had no idea, could easily ignore all those things and enjoy it as well. It was a perfect balance between nostalgia and surprise, the old and the new.
I only had a year of waiting before Crimes of Grindelwald. When I started to read the HP books, most of the movies were already out, so I've never followed the promotion for any of them. 2018 was a tough year for me, and keeping up with the trailers, the posters, the interviews, gave me something to be cheerful about. It was fun. I must confess my expectations were high. It was also the first time I was going to watch a release. I grew up in a small town, and the cinema didn't work regularly.
But watching CoG my disappointment was immense: After the promotion, I expected something big, but the movie wasn't much more of what we had already seen in advance. Everything that made the first one great, was taken away. Instead of our four beloved protagonists, there were three hundred new characters that did not have much screentime; some didn't even have much relevance to the plot. Most things regarding Newt, Tina, Jacob, and Queenie were not even explained, as if they lacked importance.
The most painful omission was the situation between Tina and Queenie. Queenie's storyline in CoG confused many fans, not because the twist in her fate was not interesting, but because it was never correctly developed.
In the first film, we're told that the sisters raized each other and are incredibly close. They would not "stop talking" just because Tina disagrees with Queenie seeing Jacob, unless that conflict, for some reason, turned more serious in those months previous to the Paris incident. This is important not only to see Tina's point of view, but also to understand the events that led Queenie to be desperate enough to think Grindelwald was her only option. If we consider that Queenie feels the most important people in her life, and her government are not supporting her, then her making a radical choice could make sense. Explaining all of this was of huge importance to three of the main characters' storylines, and so, to the general plot. Big mistake.
Tina's storyline made no sense either. The first film introduced us to a female character that was strong, independent, and brave, but also insecure, lonely, awkward; someone who has had a difficult life, and had to do the best she could. A character with the potential to grow and change throughout the five movies. In CoG they turned that character into just a love interest, someone who had no story of her own, and no mission apart from turning the protagonist's head. Queenie's character arch, even if poorly developed, had the advantage of being "cool": The sweet and innocent sister who joined the bad guys. Standing with the "good ones" is not that interesting. True to life: Doing the right thing is for boring people only.
The HP references were everywhere. It looked wonderful in the trailers, but most of them didn't make a significant contribution to the story. Characters and elements "magically" appeared where the plot needed them, ignoring of it made sense or not.
There was no emotion. The bigger scenes didn't feel moving. I watched the ending on a big screen and not a single emotion went through my body. I left the cinema trying to figure out what the hell had happened to the franchise. Suddenly, instead of making the most of what had been built in the first installment, it was about bringing HP back. And that was not what I wanted to see.
I suspect the people making the film believed that if they gave us enough HP references and special effects we wouldn't realize there was no plot.
Over these past three years since CoG, I have re-watched it many times, and even though I don't consider it a good movie, I've found some things that made it worth watching (Mostly Newt, Tina, and Jacob scenes, but some of Grindelwald's as well)
When FB3 was first pushed back, in 2019, I knew it was probably the best thing to do. They promised us a bigger and better movie, and I imagined they were going to learn from their mistakes. For me, the solution was obvious: They had to go back to the things that made the first one great. They had to go back to the four main characters, to the magical creatures, and stop trying to fit so much HP into the plot.
After all the troubles the third film has gone through, I was happy to have all the little news we could get. But when they released the title...I felt uneasy. The Secrets of Dumbledore. More HP. The leaks going around bothered me, but the trailer was the thing that really upset me.
The worst thing is that the trailer was good. There are so many things in there that I wanted to see! Newt and Theseus behaving like brothers, Pickett being adorable, Jacob being Jacob. But there was a single point that monopolized my attention: Tina's absence.
Of course, I was disappointed because she is my favorite character, but it's not just about Tina, it’s about what she represents to the story.
We know Tina marries Newt at some point, but that's not the only role she plays. Tina was the person who risked everything to help Credence, the first one to notice him. Tina is Queenie's older sister, the one who raized her. Queenie and Credence are on Grindelwald's side, and the third movie may be the one when the conflicts surrounding both characters are solved. And Tina is not gonna be there? It makes no sense to the character, but most importantly, it makes no sense to the plot.
Tina is as important as any of the other three protagonists, but she has a particularity that makes her indispensable: She is the one that connects all the characters. In fbawtft she is the reason the four protagonists meet, and the reason they got involved in Credence's path. In CoG, even if I do not appreciate what they did to her character, she is again the point where many of the stories connect: She is in Paris looking for Credence, and that makes Queenie and Newt end up in the city as well, along with a very confused Jacob.
If we think about it, in CoG the only thing left standing from the first film was Newt and Tina's relationship. So, apart from messing the plot in an unspeakable way, taking Tina away would feel like severing the last tie this franchise has with fbawtft. From now on, it's about Dumbledore and Grindelwald. And honestly, I'm not interested in that. I want a fbawtft sequel, not a HP prequel.
I know it's the first trailer, and the only thing we are hearing are speculations, most with incorrect information. Sadly, some of these "speculations" are being fuelled by fan pages that have several followers; and that's how the rumors start to spread. Even the "leaks" seem to be from the same source, a screentest that happened months ago (And we're talking about a movie that is still very much in post-production, so the leak is not the movie we're gonna watch in April) We can't tell for sure, but I confess I'm worried.
In CoG, character development, or having a sensible plot were not the main concern, that's why I don't trust either JK, Yates, or WB when it comes to presenting a flawless story anymore. But what I do believe is that they wouldn't do something that could potentially harm the production's image. They cannot take another scandal: FB3 needs to do well if they want the franchise to subsist. If this goes wrong, not only will it be over, but they will lose a lot of money. This is why I find the situation with Tina is very suspicious. Let me explain.
I want to believe that the ones making the movie are not stupid, and can tell that reducing a leading character's role without an excellent explanation is a very bad move, one they cannot afford to make right now. I also suppose they know that not showing Tina in the trailer would make people talk. So I wonder: If they are reducing Tina's role so drastically, wouldn't it be smarter to make her appear two seconds in the trailer so we don't suspect it? Wouldn't it be silly to take her off the story if fans can get upset over it? (And the situation requires those fans to be pleased?) Wouldn't it be weird to put the spotlight on her like this if she is so irrelevant to the plot? Because this is what's happening right now: The spotlight is on Tina. And this goes further than the trailer: the little official material that has been released features every character except Tina. It looks like they are making an effort to conceal her.
Besides, I have the feeling that if there was some reason that escaped the production's control (something like covid restrictions or scheduling conflicts) and could easily explain Tina’s “disappearance”, they would let us know instead of allowing fans to imagine anything that makes WB look bad.
Since the trailer dropped, people have been relentlessly asking about Tina and making theories on her absence. She is receiving more attention than ever before. WB must have seen it coming, I just can’t believe they would make that kind of mistake. If this ends up being a strategy to increase the level of attention around the movie, I'm going to admit it's smart. I wouldn't like the alternative.
Maybe part of the problem is that we keep comparing the promotion for this film, with the one for CoG. But the situation in the world (And in the fandom) was very different back in 2018. If they're trying to keep everything under wraps so we can find out in the cinema, I don't think that's bad. Last time they gave away too much while promoting, and in the end, it wasn't beneficial.
So, even though I'm bracing myself for a huge disappointment, I'm still hoping for a surprise. I'm relying on WB common sense. Because common sense is very important to make films, but even more important for business.
I want the movie to be good, and for that, I need it to make sense. I've lowered my expectations in the past weeks, but I won't consider this a lost battle just yet. I hope the movie is not a disaster, that I can like it (at least a little), and that it saves the franchise. What makes me sad, is that I'm not as excited as I used to be. And I miss feeling excited. Promotion time used to be fun, and it's not anymore. Whether this Tina situation is resolved to the fans' satisfaction or not, I'm concerned about where the franchise seems to be going.
What I'm trying to say with this very long text, is that in their eagerness to catch the eye of every HP fan in existence, the ones making these movies are losing the respect of the FB fans; the ones that love these films, not as an intent to extend a successful franchise, but as a wonderful and different story all on its own.
Hi there! It's been a while…
To read my excuses for not updating in ages you can go to the end of the chapter. Enjoy!
December 13th, 1926
Newt made sure to rush through all the feedings that morning. It was Tina's first day of work, and he wanted to see her before she left. Queenie would make a wholesome breakfast, and Tina would be radiant, talkative, and bursting with enthusiasm. He didn't want to miss it.
His surprise was big when he came out of the case and found Tina sitting at the table alone. She had turned at hearing the sound of the latches, but her gaze fell to her coffee again as she murmured her greetings.
At first glance, he knew something wasn't right. It was on how she sat, on how she held the cup tightly with both hands, and in the way she carefully avoided looking at him. Only when he came close enough to the table did he notice her eyes were swollen. Even though she wasn't crying, she had been. Or maybe she hadn't slept at all.
“Tina, what's wrong?” he asked softly.
“Oh, it's nothing,” she answered, voice strained. “A bad night, that's all.”
He knew it would be prudent to let her be, but he just couldn't. She had that headache the day before, what if she was ill? He pushed a little more. “Did you receive any bad news today? Are you feeling unwell?”
“It's...” Tina sent a nervous look to the bedroom door and gulped. She opened and closed her mouth a couple of times before emitting any sound. When she finally spoke, it was in a murmur. “It's about Queenie.”
“What happened to her?” Newt slid into the chair across from her, his concern growing.
She hesitated. It was like she wanted to tell him, but thought she should not. “We talked last night. About Jacob.”
“Oh.”
“I woke up in the middle of the night and she wasn't in bed. She was crying on the sofa." Tina explained. "She didn't want to disturb me. I bet she has been doing that all these days.”
“I knew she was sad, it's just...I didn't think it had affected her that much. I thought this was just something of the moment, that it would pass, but after last night..." her voice was beginning to break. "She cared so much about Jacob, she told me so. I suppose I should have known how serious she was about him. She is so sad.”
“And you?”
“What?” the question startled her, and she eyed him with suspicion. She had been behaving like that since the day before. Jumpy, defensive for a reason he couldn't fathom, and much quieter. There were times of the day when she seemed to forget it and became cheerful again, but some invisible trigger always made her troubled again. And it was odd because since her reinstatement she had been more affectionate towards him as if deciding she could trust him.
Tina had talked about her concern for Queenie, but he hadn't observed anything in the legilimens attitude that could cause that impact the day before.
“Are you alright?” he clarified.
“Me?" she blinked, confused by the question. "Well, I'm...I feel so... " she took a deep breath before continuing. “It breaks me not being capable of protecting the ones I love. I can't see a solution. Jacob doesn't remember her, or any of us. Even if the situation was different, I couldn't encourage this. It would be dangerous for both of them. But I can't expect Queenie to get over this soon. I haven't seen her cry so much since she was little.”
Her coffee must have grown cold long ago, for the cup was still full, but Tina wasn't drinking it. She seemed to have forgotten she even had it in her hands.
“I've been too wrapped up over my job and with...” she bit her lip, stopping herself at the last minute, and leaving the sentence incomplete. “I should have paid more attention to her.”
She looked about to cry, and he felt distressed at not being able to prevent it. One of her hands had separated from the cup and was resting on the table. He had the strange impulse to take it between his and hold it.
For most creatures touching was soothing, they used it for reassurance, but in cases when they found themselves in a vulnerable state, it could make them react harshly, retract, attack even. What would Tina do? It was not a time to experiment. Still, the hand was right there, so close. He could just reach for it if he dared.
Tina produced a small hiccup and brought him back to his senses. No, he should not touch her. Tina was going through a delicate time, doing that would probably startle her again.
“Don't say that, it's not your fault,” he muttered at last. “You've had this on your mind all week; Queenie wasn't ready to talk yet. There's not much you could do about it.”
Tina discreetly wiped a tear. “I don't know...”
They stayed in silence, Tina trying to recover composure, and Newt trying to find a way to help her feel better. “I wish I could tell you something useful.”
“That's what I said to Queenie. Maybe there's nothing useful to be said.” she shrugged, sadly. “I don't know what else I can do for her. And I can't miss work today; she shouldn't either. Her shift starts at nine, so I'm letting her sleep a bit more.”
“I'll keep an eye on her until she goes to work, don't you worry,” he promised, sounding more sure than he felt. If he couldn't help Tina, he doubted he would be of more use to Queenie. But he would try his best for his friends. “I'll try to think of something to cheer her up. I can't assure you I will come out with anything of course...”
Tina's eyes shone with unshed tears, but she smiled at him. “You’re so good.”
It seemed that somehow he had managed to say the right thing. He wondered at his good luck.
“Thank you for listening, Newt.”
They stared at each other for a moment, Tina's expression one of undeniable fondness. He carefully saved it in his memory. He wanted to say something else. "You can count on me." or "I'm here whenever you need to talk." But as it was the rule these days, it was not long before she cast her eyes away from him, and her smile faltered.
“I should go wake Queenie,” One of her hands went to fix her hair, and as she stood up he got to see her flushed face. She was nervous, self-conscious. Ashamed, even. Why, though? Did she regret sharing her problems with him? Had his gaze become too insistent and was making her uncomfortable? He watched her fidgeting with her cup, her hands unable to decide whether to leave it on the table or carry it.
“No need, I'm awake already.”
Queenie had appeared by the door frame without being noticed.
Tina went to her side immediately. “How are you feeling? I thought it would be better for you to get some rest, that's why I didn't call you earlier.”
“Speaking of getting some rest, you look like you stayed awake all night.” the legillimens commented, her hand touching Tina's pale cheek. “Don't worry about me, Teen. I'll be fine, I promise. I feel a lot better now that I'd let it all out.”
The statement didn't convince her sister, who remained anxious.
“I'm telling you the truth.” she insisted. “Now, go wash your face. You shouldn't be late on your first day back.”
To Newt's surprise, Tina didn't insist and did as she was told. Once she was out of his sight, his attention focused on Queenie. In some way, he understood her. As much as he treasured the sisters' friendship, he also felt Jacob's loss. And unlike Tina, he had come to know the baker quite well.
“I know you do,” Queenie said. “That's alright sweetheart, I'll be fine.”
Tina came back, announcing she was off to work, still looking unsettled. Queenie fixed her coat lapels and gave her a hug, wishing her good luck. He wanted to do the same, but she marched to the door with a quick “Bye.”, barely sparing him another glance.
He felt confused and slightly hurt. She had smiled at him, said he had been of help, and a minute later she wouldn't look at him. What had he missed? Was she mad at him?
“She's not mad at you, quite the opposite.”
Newt turned to find Queenie staring at him in concentration, taking in all the work his mind was doing, no doubt.
“Quite the opposite?”
“She's had a tough year,” she explained, sitting in the place Tina had occupied minutes before, and handing him a cup of tea. “And she's not used to people being like that with her.”
“Being how?” he asked, disoriented.
“Well, supportive. Caring,” she continued, her tone placid. “Teen is far more reserved than you imagine. It might be hard to believe because she speaks so much to you. Everything has been getting worse for her for the past months, losing her job and all. Now she has her promotion, and she's made friends with you. She's getting used to the changes; making peace with lots of things. She's got so much on her mind.”
Queenie’s gaze was intent, as if she was trying to suggest something. He didn't get it.
“I should go get changed. What I'm saying is... you're doing nothing wrong. She thinks the world of you.” she added. “Just have some patience. And drink your tea, it'll get cold.”
With that, Queenie got up, leaving him even more confused.
-------------------
Dear Theseus,
I apologize for my delay in answering your last letter, but I'm sure you're aware by now that my trip to New York ended up being much more eventful than expected, and my attention has been elsewhere.
Looking at the paper, Newt thought it was quite alright. It had taken him half an hour to come up with a good beginning for his letter: He didn't want Theseus to believe he felt as if he owed him an explanation, but he didn't want to be impolite either. As annoying as it was to have his brother trying to meddle in his life from time to time, he knew Theseus had good intentions. He kept going.
I'm staying with some friends. One of them is an auror, she has helped me to get all the right permissions for some creatures I brought with me and oriented me as to MACUSA's investigation. Her name is Tina, she's quite bright…
There he made a stop. He shouldn’t get carried away with that. Spilling all those details would invite Theseus to ask questions, and he wasn't sure he wanted to go through that. His friendship with Tina was far too personal to share with his brother. No, he better kept it quiet. He crossed out all that last paragraph and started it again.
I've reprogrammed my journey back to England, in hopes to collaborate with MACUSA's investigation. Nothing to worry about, I'm staying with some friends (and out of trouble) until then.
Newt
That was much better. Contented with his work, he opened one of the desk drawers in search of an envelope, to leave the missive ready to be sent. That would placate Theseus until he got back, in a couple of days.
The thought of leaving had started to make him anxious. Nothing prevented him from coming back to New York in the future. Of course, MACUSA considering him a menace could be a problem, but the real question was: Would the sisters want to see him again? Would Tina receive him in such a warm way?
He felt a light weight on his leg, and became aware of a pair of misty eyes on him.
“Dougal.”
The demiguise climbed onto the desk, and let his caretaker pet him. He had fed him half and hour ago, but the creature seemed to perceive whenever he needed support.
“I wish you could talk,” Newt murmured, more to himself than to Dougal. “You could tell me if you see another trip to America in my future. Or some news from Tina.”
He could always come up with an excuse innocent enough to keep in touch. Friends wrote each other letters, didn't they? And Tina had said on more than one occasion that she was his friend. Following that logic, perhaps it would be acceptable for them to correspond. But how was that arranged? Should he suggest it? Ask for her permission to write to her once in a while? Should he write without further ado and pray for her to answer?
His trips had given him freedom, and he delighted in that. It meant no social ties, no commitments or obligations to be placed upon him. He adored this kind of life, far from the crowded Ministry desks. But he didn't want to sever ties this time. How did someone express their wish to be part of another person's life?
In any case, his most immediate concern was his current situation with Tina. While Queenie had assured him she wasn't mad at him, she seemed to be hinting at something else; something he hadn't caught on.
He was convinced by now that the legilimens wouldn't hesitate to tell him anything to his face if necessary, especially if she thought he was at fault. The most possible reason for her to be so cryptic must be Tina's privacy.
Queenie didn't only know things about Tina; she also knew things about him. Newt had noticed her teasing smiles every time she caught him staring at her older sister, or thinking about her, which happened with increasing frequency. Not that he could help it; she was one of the most complex and fascinating creatures he had ever met. Observing her, noticing every small detail about her was becoming second nature to him. He was learning to tell, just by looking at the twist of her brows, or the curve of her lips how she was feeling, if she was happy, or amused, or worried, or irritated. He knew how she liked her coffee, the things that made her laugh, and the ones that scared her.
Maybe Tina had become aware of that too, be it by her sister or by her own observation, and it was the reason for her trouble. Yes, it had to be that. She had no doubt interpreted his stares the wrong way. Or even worse, she had interpreted them correctly, and she didn't know how to get rid of the unwanted attention. She wasn't mad, but she was embarrassed? Was that what Queenie had meant? Was she trying to prevent him from any further embarrassment?
The truth was, he didn't even know what he could do about it, or what was it that he wanted from Tina. Her friendship. Her company, her regard, her admiration. Her full attention. In which plain of the human conventions would that place them? What would be correct for a person to do in that situation?
Even if Tina hadn't noticed this “admiration” already, she would certainly do in time. She was too smart not to. And that placed him in a very awkward position.
He wished he had someone to get advice from. Jacob would know what to do, he thought while caressing Dougal's fur. He seemed to understand people (and women) quite well, and he wouldn't laugh at his awkwardness. If only he had him around, he could ask.
What would Jacob do?
--------------------
Tina appeared downstairs earlier than expected, in a more placid mood, but silent and thoughtful. Newt was busy feeding the occamies. Instead of rolling up her sleeves and lending a hand, she sat by the nest and answered his questions about her day, commenting in passing that Queenie had gone out shopping with some of the office girls.
“She is in better spirits then.”
Tina shrugged. “Or at least she's making an effort.”
The niffler appeared out of nowhere and found his way onto the witch's lap. While her body seemed to relax a little bit as she petted the creature, her expression kept restless. She wanted to talk about something. He would have liked to ask, but he was decided to not give her any reasons to be uncomfortable. If he had overstepped, if he had upset her by being too informal, he would be more careful. Fortunately, his curiosity wouldn’t be left unsatisfied for long.
“I don't understand Queenie,” Tina spat out all of the sudden, sounding rather guilty. She seemed to be in need to confide this to someone. “I mean... She knew Jacob for such a short time. She talks as if she could see her entire life with him, but they barely got to spend any time together. I know Queenie can see more of people than I ever could, even without her legilimency, but still.”
“Well, I suppose sometimes when people go through a lot together they form an attachment, regardless of the time they've spent in each other’s company.” Newt reflected. As soon as he said it, he realized it may appear he was talking about the two of them. After all, they'd known each other for a week. He couldn't be trusted to hold a normal conversation.
“That's true, I guess.” Tina agreed calmly, gaze still fixed on a distant spot in front of her. Either she didn’t connect the comment to them, or she chose not to understand it. “I didn't get to know him. It's strange, given he's so important to my sister. He looked like a good man, though. Queenie says he has a beautiful mind, and that's a big compliment considering all the things she has to hear from guys on daily bases.”
“He is a good man,” Newt agreed, relieved by the change of topic. “Jacob wanted to open a bakery. Pastries make people happy, he said. He's working at a canning factory and he despises it. He was in the bank to get a loan, and was rejected because he had no collateral to offer.”
“That explains the case full of pastries.” she half-smiled. “He and Queen could have been a good match indeed.”
“I think so. I observed them when we had dinner together. They are the sort of people who everybody likes.” he said, recalling the situation. It seemed like it had been a lifetime ago. “It always sparks a scientific interest within me, because I don't know how to do it.”
“Me neither.” she chuckled. Then she got serious again. “I suppose I could check on him once in a while. Jacob. See if he needs anything. I just don't want to encourage Queenie to do the same.”
“Do you think she'll try to go see him?”
“She might.”
“As long as they don't interact it wouldn't be a problem, would it?”
“Newt, she cannot!” she exclaimed, her gaze becoming hard and reproachful. For a second he could see the cross, bossy woman that had arrested him a week ago. His eyes must have expressed that because she immediately looked regretful. “I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to snap at you like that. You're trying to help. I'm sorry.”
“It's fine. All these American laws are still not making sense to me.”
“You can be sent to jail for fraternizing with no-majs. We could both lose our jobs. And then, what would we do?” Tina sighed, the thought alone seeming too terrifying to dwell much on it. “We can't afford that, it's out of the question. But it's not just that...”
“Jacob doesn't remember her; he doesn't remember Queenie even exists. She's aware of that, I know, but it's not the same as seeing it with her own eyes. Imagine what it would feel like. I don't want her to suffer more than necessary.”
“It’s not in your hands to prevent her from feeling unhappy right now,” Newt interjected. “The only thing you can do is be supportive, as you've been doing.”
“I know, I…” she muttered, frustrated. “If only there was a way of giving her some sort of closure, to assure her that Jacob will be fine.”
“We may be able to make that possible.”
“How?”
“I've been giving it some thought. I can provide the collateral for Jacob's bakery.”
“You're thinking about giving him money?" she asked, pondering his solution. "I have some notion of the no-maj currency, but how do we know how much he needs?”
“Not money, I'm rather short of that myself," Newt confessed. "I happen to know what could work as collateral.” He leaned forward and took an occamy eggshell from the nest. “These are pure silver. I don’t think the bank will reject them, though they may be curious about their origin.”
Tina looked impressed. “That's... quite smart. And very generous of you.”
Her approval made him blush. “Jacob is my friend. He was of so much help to me, if there's something I can do for him in return, I have to do it.”
“I think it's a remarkable initiative. But how do you get the occamy eggshells to Jacob?”
“I have an idea.” he confided. “I'll need your help.”
“Count on me.” she nodded, eager.
“And we have to tell Queenie.”
There she hesitated.
“She's gonna know anyway. My occlumency is still terrible.” he reasoned. “Besides, I think she has the right to decide whether she wants to be involved or not.”
“Alright.” she agreed, reluctant. He could tell she didn't like it at all. “We'll talk to Queenie, then.”
“It's the best we can do,” he said, making to stand up. “Shall we see if she's back? We can settle this now.“
“Wait.” Tina blurted, gesturing with her arm to stop him from leaving. “I want to hear all about that plan of yours, but first...” she put a strand of hair behind her ear, tense once again. “I wanted to ask you something.”
“About Jacob?”
“No, about you” she admitted. “I believe it may be too personal, so you don't have to tell me if you don't want to.”
Newt couldn't help a slight panic. He couldn't imagine what could be so personal for her to be so hesitant to ask.
“It's about Credence. About the obscurus.” she started. “The department has assigned me to tie the loose ends given my... involvement in the case.”
“That's good news. You're the right person to do it, no doubt.”
Despite the crudeness of the topic, a small smile graced her lips at his comment. “I've been thinking...If Grindelwald wanted Credence as a weapon, wouldn't it be possible for him to find another child with the same capacity? I don't believe he was interested in Credence particularly. What I mean is, if there's a chance of that happening and I have to interfere, I need to know more. I need to be prepared to take the right course of action.”
Now he knew where she was going. “You want me to tell you about my experience with obscurus.”
She nodded. “When you told Jacob and me about it, it seemed to be a difficult topic. I understand if you don't want to talk about it.”
“It's difficult. That little girl... it was heartbreaking.” he stammered. “I'm no expert on the subject, by any means, but I can share my limited knowledge if it's of any use. You know what causes it, and what it can do. Going from there, what do you want to know?”
“When you talked about the girl you met in Sudan, you said you tried to save her. How?”
Newt took his time to meditate on his answer. When he spoke, he did it slowly, minding his words. “There's a spell. It's complicated to perform and requires the host to be in a particular state for it to work. The obscurus ends up consuming the host. When you try to extract it...it fights. It was one of the most terrifying things I've ever witnessed. The force is too powerful for an adult wizard to control, imagine what it can do to a child.”
He stood up, and walk a few steps away. “She was dying. I befriended her, and offer to try and cure her, but it was too late. I don't know, maybe I couldn't have made it work either way. I don't believe I'll ever forget it, or stop wondering if there was something else I could have done for her.”
“Don't say that, you tried your best. At least, she knew that someone cared.” she comforted him. “But I get how you feel, I’ve been thinking the same about Credence. If I could have done something else.”
“I'm afraid when it comes to Credence I can't tell you much more of what you already know. To be honest I'm quite in the dark myself. I've never seen anything like it. Credence possessing some sort of control over that power, surviving this long with it... it's unbelievable.”
“I didn't expect you to have an answer,” she assured him. “Every piece of information could be important. Thank you for telling me all that.”
Newt nodded. He had never told that story before and remembering it sadden him.
“I wish I had realized before. It didn’t occur to me that we could be dealing with an obscurus.” Tina murmured, staring at the niffler again. “If only had I known, I may have prevented Credence's death.”
“If he died.”
Tina looked up at him in shock. “What do you mean?” she asked, disbelieving. “Newt you were there, you saw it. That's not...”
“Why not?” he retorted. “We saw the kind of wreckage it created in the city. A bunch of aurors is not likely to match that force.”
“You're implying he may have survived?” she wanted to be sure she had understood.
“I can't assure that. But it's at least, possible.”
Newt contemplated Tina trying to digest all the new information, and knew he had given the witch something else to be worried about.
“I guess I have a lot of work ahead of me.” was her only comment.
Ok, I'm not gonna promise to update soon, because I said that last time and it's been months. Sorry. This year so far has been quite bad, and I couldn't find the energy or motivation to sit and finish this. Also, the last movie was a terrible disappointment for me. I didn't like it at all, so it didn't help fuel my imagination.
Despite all that, I've loved working on this little piece these past months, and I want to give it a conclusion. This story is going to have three or four chapters more, as I had initially planned. I have a draft of what I want, but it needs waaay more work to be worth anybody's time. I don't know how long is gonna take, but I promise you this: I'll finish this story.
If you're still reading, thank you!
