3/12 days of Newtina; this prompt is inspired by the many “coat” arguments I have witnessed in my own childhood
“I don’t wanna!” Leo exclaimed.
Tina sighed at her son’s pitiful look on his face. “Leo, you need to. It’s freezing outside!”
Leo crossed his arms and continued to pout. “I don’t think it’s cold at all.”
Leo’s sister, Daisy, who was sitting by the door waiting to leave, had an astounded look on her face. “Are you crazy?! It’s deathly cold out there!” Daisy said wrapping her arms around her heavily coated body in a fake shiver.
Tina gave Leo a pointed look. “Come on! You know Daisy is just being dramatic like she does!” Leo exclaimed, ignoring the offended look plastered on Daisy’s face.
“Your sister may be being a bit dramatic, but that doesn’t change the fact that it’s below zero degrees. Which means you have to wear a coat.” Newt reasoned, walking into the room with his own coat in hand.
Leo groaned, “That’s not fair! Who even made up that rule?!”
“I did.” Tina said stepping forward torwards Leo with a strict look on her face. “And we are not leaving this house until you put your coat on. Which means no delicious pastries, no Aunt Queenie or Uncle Jacob, no cousins, and a very sad Daisy.” Daisy nodded solemnly.
“Fine.” Leo said bitterly. He harshly put of his coat.
Daisy perked up and smiled brightlly. “Yay!”
“All right.” Newt said. “Let’s go then.” Tina nodded and the family headed out to the bakery.
The Beginning of an Uncertain Future (Part 1) - a Newt/Tina fic
This was prompted by an anon who asked, “I want angst. Please. Maybe Tina leaving her family because of the war.”
This is going to be multi-chaptered to fit into more readable instalments 😊
So I kinda started to feel some inspiration for writing something to do with the war after I watched “Dunkirk” with my little sister, and I’ve been thinking about both Tina’s feelings if she’s sent off and the entire family’s too.
It was impossible to really fit it in exactly with any of my other Scamander-Children stories, but I did want to use the children I’d already created – for that reason, we’re saying that the story is sort of an AU/alternate pathway to what happened after “Lay Your Body Down”… This means that only Phoenix, Linnet and Leo are born. It could have happened in the following fics/in the place of “A Glimpse of Sunlight” but it didn’t…I don’t know if that makes sense. Either way, I hope you enjoy.
Phoenix – 22nd June 1931 – 8-9
Linnet – 13th January 1933 - 7
Leo – 3rd March 1935 - 5
Set in 1940.
The letter arrived at breakfast on the Monday; the children were blissfully unaware of what it meant, of course, but their parents knew better upon seeing the official Ministry seal on the back of the envelope.
Newt watched silently as Tina opened the letter, her fingers trembling just the smallest amount, and he felt his heart sink into his stomach. He knew already what the letter would contain: Theseus had received one just a month beforehand, as had many others on the Investigative Team – knowing what was to come still didn’t make it any easier.
He continued to study her face as she read the letter, not saying a word; just a minute later, she raised her eyes to meet his across the table – and he knew. There was nothing to say – nothing that really could be said – and they were both all too aware of that.
It was Phoenix who was the first to look up and tilt his head, seemingly confused by the sudden silence. “Mum? Dad? Everything alright?”
“We’re fine,” Tina said quietly, folding the letter and tucking it into the pocket of her jacket. “Everything is absolutely fine, Phoenix – go back to breakfast.”
Their eldest son looked unconvinced as he reluctantly cast his eyes back down to his food; Linnet frowned and chewed her cereal thoughtfully as she looked between their mother and father, whilst Leo merely continued to attempt to make shapes with the leftover crusts of his toast. The children would need to be informed, of course, but not now – not at breakfast with the entire day ahead.
Newt held back a sigh and reached for his tea; the day was coming, he had known, he’d been expecting it…but it still didn’t hurt any less.
News of another bombing in central London reached Dorset by the time Tina arrived home; Leo, being the youngest, was none the wiser regarding the war – but his older siblings had caught on by now, even if their understanding of wars were childish and uninformed.
“The paper said it was Germans,” Phoenix said softly before dinner; Linnet pretended she was interested in her book, trying to block it out. “They’ve been bombing the Muggles… Do you think they’ll bomb us?”
“No,” Newt disagreed quickly, not wanting any of the children to feel frightened. “I shouldn’t think so; London is a big city, Phoenix, with a great many people – we live in the middle of the country. I don’t think they’ll bother bombing the country.”
“What about the other people?” Linnet asked, curiosity getting the better of her now. “Grindywall? Will he try to bomb us?”
Their father swallowed. “Grindelwald. No, I don’t think he’ll try to bomb us.”
Dinner was a rather sombre affair, though none of the children knew why; they were intelligent enough to pick up on the fact that their parents were sharing oddly furtive and morose looks, but it was unclear as to what those looks meant. Even Leo seemed to realize that things were frostier than usual, and he soon took to pushing mashed up bits of potato around his plate so that he could avoid looking at the rest of the family.
After dinner had been eaten and the washing up done, it was time for the usual ritual of helping to get the creatures settled for the night; it was only once the children had raced out of the shed to eagerly attend to some of the various creatures that Newt gently slipped his hand into Tina’s and cleared his throat.
“We need to talk about the letter.”
“Yeah…I guess we do.”
He took a deep breath before speaking again. “When are you to be…to be…”
“This Friday morning,” Tina told him softly.
“But that’s so…so soon.”
“I’m needed, Newt,” She stated, avoiding looking him in the eye; instead, she found herself gazing out over the numerous enclosures and habitats, at the children giggling in the distance as they petted some mooncalves. “They need people to fight and win the war.”
Her husband hesitated beside her, clearly uncertain as to whether he should voice his thoughts to her. “Tina, love, it’s not that I don’t think you should be fighting, it’s just that…the children.”
“If the Ministry needs me to fight-”
“Our children need their mother,” Newt stated, sounding pained. “I know that it’s your job and your duty, and I don’t begrudge you of that – but the children need you, Tina.”
Tina gnawed on her bottom lip, seemingly considering this proclamation. “I know the children need me. I don’t want to leave them,” She admitted. “You know that I don’t want to leave them, but…but I can’t stand by while other people – innocent people – are dying.”
He inhaled sharply, closing his eyes as her words sank in. “No, I know. I didn’t expect anything less of you, really.”
“I’ll be fine, Newt,” She tried to assure him half-heartedly. “I’m not about to break.”
“No,” He agreed, and he forced himself to smile weakly at her. “I know. You’re the strongest person I’ve met, you know, even if you don’t see it… I can’t help but worry though-”
“Worrying means you suffer twice,” Tina quipped before squeezing his hand and becoming serious once more. “Newt…while I’m gone, the kids are going to need you to be here for them; they’re going to catch on about the wars sooner rather than later, and they’ll need you to help them. And…” She swallowed the lump in her throat. “If something happens to me, then I need you to protect them.”
Newt couldn’t help but stare at her, wide-eyed by this sentiment. “Tina, don’t talk like that…”
“It’s true,” She countered. “There’s a chance it will, Newt, and we need to talk about it just in case it does. What I’m asking is that if something does happen to me and I don’t come home…promise me that you’ll take care of the children.”
His heart ached at the thought, at the very possibility that she would not return home – that she would be lost while fighting, never to return to the children, never to return to him. “Tina…”
“Promise me, Newt,” Tina repeated, voice harsh but also close to breaking – it was clear that she was only barely holding herself together.
“Of course,” He agreed, though it sounded hollow to his own ears. “I promise.”
She exhaled and closed her eyes, leaning in to lay her head on his shoulder; her hand was still holding onto his, and it was obvious that neither of them particularly wanted to let go. “Thank you,” He heard her whisper, clearly relieved.
The children continued to play in the distance with loud giggles as they ran about; for now they were blissfully unaware of what was to come, and that was how it should have been.
The night before Tina was due to leave was a rather miserable and unhappy one in the Scamander household; all of the children refused to sleep, and both Linnet and Leo especially shed more than a few tears at the prospect of waking up to find their mother gone.
“I d-d-don’t want you to go, Mummy!” Linnet sobbed, clinging to her mother’s arm desperately. “Please don’t g-go!”
Leo, meanwhile, had started to pull at Tina’s trousers as he wailed. “D-Don’t want M-Mummy to g-go!”
“I’ll be back soon,” Tina attempted to soothe them, managing to extract her arm from her daughter’s grip. “I promise, I’ll be back before you know it.”
“Phoenix s-said…” Linnet sniffled and gave a small hiccup. “He said people d-die in war!”
Leo’s bottom lip wobbled again. “No! No, Mummy, no!”
“It’s going to be fine,” Tina assured them hurriedly, and she knelt before them so that she could look them in the eye. “I’m not going until tomorrow morning – I’ll still be here when you go to sleep – and I promise that I’ll come in and say goodbye to you in the morning.”
“A-And…” Her daughter rubbed at her eyes with her pyjama sleeve. “You’ll write to us, Mummy?”
She nodded and forced herself to smile. “Of course, I will.”
“Every day?”
“Well…not every day,” Tina mused, tucking some hair behind Linnet’s ear affectionately. “But I promise I’ll write as often as I can.”
Leo threw his arms around her and buried his face into the crook of her neck. “Gonna miss you, Mummy.”
“I know you will,” She admitted, and her smile faded away as she wrapped an arm around each of them. “I’ll miss you all too.”
She made sure that Linnet and Leo were both settled into their beds, pressing kisses to their foreheads and tucking them underneath their duvets, before deciding to attempt to speak to Phoenix; the oldest child had vanished after dinner, remaining remarkably silent, and she knew that it would be best to have a talk with him. She took a moment to listen as she stood on the landing, and then made her way to Phoenix’s room down the hall; she could hear voices inside, and she had a strong feeling that Newt was in there with him.
True to her suspicions, her husband was sat on the bed with their eldest son and looking somewhat at a loss; both of them looked up at her as she entered the room, and it alarmed her just a bit to see that Phoenix’s eyes were rimmed red.
“I think perhaps you two should have a chat,” Newt decided suddenly, standing up from the bed. “I’m going to settle everyone in the case for the night.”
“Alright,” Phoenix mumbled, looking down at his bed sheets miserably.
The door shut behind the Magizoologist as he left, and Tina found herself staring at her son as she wondered over what to say – over what she could say. “Phoenix…”
“I don’t want you to fight,” He choked out suddenly, and his eyes were filling with tears. “I know that’s stupid and I’m…I’m being a baby, but I don’t want you to go to war.”
“It’s not stupid,” Tina murmured, sitting down next to him and shaking her head. “Being honest, I don’t really want to go either.”
“Then why are you going?” Phoenix retorted, furiously scrubbing at his face to get rid of the tears. “Just tell the Ministry you don’t want to go!”
She started to gnaw on her lip, heart sinking down into the bottom pit of her stomach. “It’s not as simple as that, Phoenix, it’s… I’m going because I know it’s hopefully going to protect you: your father and I don’t want you – any of you – growing up in a world where it’s not safe. Do you understand?”
He sniffled. “Yeah, I do. It’s just…” His face crumpled suddenly, tears streaming down his cheeks without warning. “I’m scared.”
Her eldest son had never been one for crying: even as a baby, he had usually slept through the night and not woken his parents. His sister and brother were more open to expressing their emotions like this, but Phoenix didn’t – perhaps because he knew, as the oldest, it was his responsibility to look after his younger siblings and set an example. To see him in this way – so upset and clearly distraught – was more than enough to prompt Tina to move closer and wrap her arms around him.
“Oh, Phoenix… I know,” She murmured to him; he put up no fights, instead leaning readily into her embrace. “I’m scared too.”
“But you’re an Auror,” He stated miserably. “Aurors don’t get scared… Do they?”
“Of course they do,” Tina answered, smoothing down the dark hair on his forehead and trying to remember not to lose her composure in front of him – it wouldn’t help matters at all. “Aurors get more scared than you know…and I’m scared right now.”
There was a lot she was terrified of: she knew that she would see horrific things while on active duty, that she would most likely see her comrades and friends die in front of her. She was frightened of Grindelwald – everyone was, there was no denying it – and of what a Muggle-madman was doing to millions of people across Europe, people like her and the children who were Jewish or otherwise ‘undesirable’; there was the fear of dying, of being killed in combat if she took one wrong step, and the fear of being captured and tortured by Grindelwald’s followers.
Most of all, though, she was scared that she would never see her husband and their children again – and, really, nothing terrified her more than that thought.
She had saved her tears for the bathroom, allowing herself to take a moment to cry in the privacy of the hot water. It would probably be the last shower she took for a while, come to think of it, and she should have been attempting to enjoy it for as long as she was able – but she couldn’t help it because it was all too much.
Fighting was the right thing to do, Tina reminded herself, for it would help to save so many innocent lives and contribute to putting an end to this war – but that didn’t mean she was happy to leave the children or Newt, by any means. She loved her family with all her heart, of course, and she didn’t want to leave them – but the longer this war wore on, the more danger they would all be in. The children deserved better than to grow up in a world governed by hatred and violence, and she was willing to fight to make sure that such a thing never happened.
It didn’t ease the pain at all, though: there was no telling how long she would be gone – or, even, if she would return.
By the time she had gathered her thoughts, the water had started to run cold; she turned it off before stepping out and wrapping a towel around herself. As she dressed, she tried not to think about how distressed the children had looked that evening at the prospect of never seeing her again, and she tried to rid it from her mind – thinking that way would not help at all.
It's going to be fine, Tina forced herself to think as she eyed herself in the mirror over the sink, and she splashed some cold water on her face to hide the fact that she had been crying just moments before. Of course I’ll see them again – I’m not about to go down easy, for one.
No, she decided, because she would fight – not only for what was right but also because she wanted to come home and see her family again. She would come home for the children, she’d come home for Newt, and she’d make sure of it.
Her husband was still awake when she entered the bedroom and closed the door behind her, clearly waiting for her to join him. She slipped underneath the covers wordlessly before wrapping herself around him in the dark; almost immediately he did the same, his arms strong and firm as they pulled her towards him.
“Do you remember the day that we first met?” Newt asked quietly, almost to himself as he held her. “It was outside of a bank; that Second Salem woman was preaching on the steps, and I bumped straight into you…you were eating a hot-dog, and you looked rather annoyed with me.” A brief ghost of a smile flitted across his face, only present a mere second before fading again. “The Niffler got loose and I chased after him: he caused more than enough trouble, of course, and you arrested me.”
“Well,” Tina said, the corners of her mouth twitching. “You did break the law.”
He gave a small, hollow chuckle at this. “Yes, I did. Things escalated rather quickly, didn’t they? One minute you were pushing me against a wall, and then the next we were trying to find several of my creatures…”
“And then you were leaving,” She murmured, resting her head on his shoulder and laying a hand over his chest.
“Yes, but I came back,” He reminded her softly. “I promised I would come back and I did…I even brought you my book, just like you asked.”
Tina smiled fondly, though there was obvious pain behind it. “Yeah, you did.”
Newt paused, clearly thinking and reminiscing to himself before speaking again. “I wanted to kiss you the moment I saw you again, Tina; I saw you waiting on the docks for me and…and I know this sounds rather silly, but I thought that you looked so beautiful, more so than I remembered – I wanted nothing more than to just kiss you. It would have been highly improper, of course, and I wasn’t sure if you would feel the same way…you could have had your pick of any man, really.”
“I can assure you I couldn’t have,” She told him sincerely. “To be honest, you were the first one who showed any interest in me and not Queenie… And I wouldn’t have wanted ‘any’ man – it’s only ever been you.” When he didn’t reply to this, she continued firmly. “I love you because you’re you, Newt, and I mean that.”
He was silent for a moment, digesting her words carefully and dwelling on them. “On our wedding night, I…I felt like the luckiest man alive to be with you, to be married to you. I know that you felt rather self-conscious that night, but to me you were – are – perfect; a part of me felt that I didn’t deserve you, really, that you could do so much better but…but I will forever be glad that you chose me.”
Tina had to swallow the lump in her throat at his words, forcing herself not to cry in front of him – she had to remain strong, she reminded herself, and crying would not help matters at all. “Newt…”
“That first time we made love,” He continued, lost in another memory of a much simpler time. “I wanted to make sure you knew how much I love you: I wanted to cherish you, not just for that night but for all of our nights together. I know that it sounds terribly trite, but it’s the truth…you’ve always been the most beautiful and wonderful woman in the world to me, and that won’t ever change.” He took a deep breath, closing his eyes; his hold on her tightened ever so slightly, bringing her closer to him. “You’re everything to me, Tina, quite literally: you’re my wife, the one person who I’m content to spend the rest of my life with…and you’ve given me children too. Three absolutely wonderful children who mean the world to me, just as much as you do. For that I’m so thankful.”
She had grown quiet and still beside him, her eyes glazed over as she stared at the hand she had pressed against his chest. “You’re everything to me too,” He heard her murmur. “You’re the first thing I see when I wake up every morning – you’re the only person I’d want to wake up beside every morning…it’s going to be hard, not to wake up like that anymore.” When he didn’t say anything, she continued on, voice trembling slightly. “I’m going to miss waking up next to you…I’m going to miss this, curling up at night together, miss how warm and safe you make me feel. I’ll miss being down in the case, being with our creatures and watching you look after them…and the children.” Her voice nearly broke at this. “I’m going to miss them so much it hurts, Newt…but I know that you’ll look after them while I’m gone. I know that if anything happens to me then they’ll have you, and…and that makes it somewhat easier.”
For a moment neither of them said anything else, merely cuddled together underneath the covers – and then Tina felt her husband’s body shaking against her own, heard him sniff. Before she knew it, he was crying beside her, unable to restrain it any longer; alarmed, she sat up slightly and took his face into her hands. “Newt…”
“I’m so sorry,” He choked out, and for a second she thought that he might try to pull away – but then he was pressing closely into her, holding her tightly as if she might disappear before his eyes. “I’ve been trying to remain strong for you, Tina, I have…but I don’t think I can anymore.”
“It’s okay,” She soothed weakly, though the lump in her throat had returned. “You don’t need to pretend around me – I’m here.”
His breath hitched. “I know. It’s just that I’m…I’m terrified, Tina; even though I’ve tried to tell myself that you’ll come home, I can’t help but think about what will happen if you don’t. I know that there’s no use in thinking like that at all, it won’t change anything, but I can’t help it – it’s constantly on my mind. I...I’m so scared that you won’t go back to us, that our children won’t have their mother; I can’t imagine doing it without you, Tina, I can’t…a-and I can’t imagine myself growing old without you either. Whenever I’ve imagined myself growing old, it’s always been with you and only you.”
“Oh, Newt…” Without warning, Tina could feel her own tears slowly start to fall too. “I know; I worry about that too, every day… I worry that I won’t get to see them go to school,” She admitted. “That I won’t…won’t see them grow up. I keep thinking about it, Newt: what if they have to grow up without a mother – without me? I know that you’re more than capable of raising our children – more so than I am sometimes – but I want to be here…I want to see them grow up.”
The thought of their children – three bright, beautiful children who she had helped bring into this world and raise – being without her made something in her chest twist painfully. If she were to be killed in action, then there was no doubt that they would be devastated and heartbroken – she was their mother, after all, and they needed her just as much as they needed Newt.
With this painfully present on her mind, she found herself burying her face into her husband’s side and allowing herself to cry; Newt’s shoulders shook under her arms as he failed to contain his sobs, hands reaching out for her. They sat together in the darkness, holding each other tightly – the last night that they would for an undermined length of time, and quite possibly the last time they might ever be able to.
For a few minutes, they merely wept together in the dark, the weight of what had been both spoken and unspoken hanging around them. The knowledge of their separation coupled with their shared fears seemed to unite them in this moment, for what would perhaps be their last moment, and neither of them wanted to let go – for letting go would mean moving on to uncertainty, to a future that neither of them could be sure of.
It was Tina who composed herself first, drying her eyes on her pyjama sleeve but not letting go of her husband even so; she could feel that Newt was no longer crying against her, though his quiet sniffles seemed to echo in the room. The very idea of leaving him – especially after so long spent together in every way it were possible to be together – seemed wrong and unthinkable to her. Of course, the idea of sitting by and not doing anything during the war whilst so many innocent lives were lost was also unthinkable – she had to do the right thing, even if it meant leaving her family.
“I have to do this,” She found herself murmuring, half to herself as she reached for his hand. “I have to.”
He inhaled deeply, allowing her fingers to thread with his own. “I know you do. I wouldn’t expect anything less.” She could feel his warm breath ghosting her face as he shifted, leaning his head inwards so that their foreheads were touching. “I just…I love you. I love you so much…”
“I love you too,” Tina sighed, closing her eyes; his body was so solid and alive next to her, a familiar comfort that she would have to leave behind, and in that moment she wanted nothing more than to feel it for as long as she was able. “Newt… Will you make love to me? Please.”
Beside her, Newt’s breath hitched and his hand tightened around her own. “Oh… Yes,” He agreed quietly. “Of course.”
Her free hand slowly reached to cup his face as she opened her eyes, looking at him tearfully in the dark; her thumb gently brushed against his lower lip, and it was obvious that she was steeling herself, forcing herself to remain strong. After a brief few seconds wherein they merely held each other’s gazes, Tina leaned in and tenderly pressed her lips to Newt’s. Beside her, his body seemed to relax a tad and she felt his mouth tenderly reciprocating; she could taste the salt from his tears on his lips, could feel his misery as though it were her own, and she wanted to forget – they both wanted to forget.
Their love-making was gentle and slow that night, neither of them in a rush of any kind – neither of them wanted it to end, for the end of it meant the beginning of an uncertain future. Newt was sure to press soft kisses to her body tenderly, taking his time to worship every scar and every blemish on her skin – everything that made her his Tina; there were many things he couldn’t bring himself to say, for saying them made the entire situation far too real. He was certain that there were things she was thinking but refraining from saying for the same reasons, and he didn’t push her to tell him – actions spoke louder than words really.
They finished together, in each other’s arms, and for a few minutes neither of them could bring themselves to move – separating would mean getting ready to sleep, and waking up would mean her leaving shortly after. Tina could feel his tears against her shoulder again, unable to hold them in, and she merely held him closer to herself – as though holding on would help.
When they finally separated, redressing in their bedclothes and settling underneath the sheets for what could very well be the last time, she pressed herself against his side and reached to take his hand in hers. Newt’s hand squeezed around her own, and he had to swallow the lump that had formed in his throat.
“I’ll come back,” He heard her promise quietly, voice wavering only slightly. “I’ll come back to you, and to our children.”
There was no certainty behind this, but he knew what she meant – that she would try, that she would fight her hardest to return to them – and that was enough. His voice was hoarse as he responded. “I know you will. Don’t forget, Tina, please.”
“I won’t.”
They fell asleep slowly, pressed together and whispering reaffirmations of love as the uncertainty of what was to come loomed in the dark silence of the room ominously.
I was originally going to write full-blown smut for this chapter, but I’ve been super busy lately so I decided to leave it implied for this fic – I will write up a smutty-outtake story for anyone who wants it, of course!
The children will definitely be more prominent and focused on in the next chapter, not to worry!
There’s a second part, so hopefully I can get that done soon – comments and reviews feed my muse, just so you know :D
Phoenix – June 1931 – 15 (going on 16, 5th year)
Linnet – January 1933 – 13 (going on 14, 3rd year)
Leo – March 1935 – 11 (going on 12, 1st year)
Wren – May 1941 - 5
Kowalski Children:
Toby – October 1929 – 16 (nearly 17, 6th year)
Daisy – April 1931 – 15 (going on 16, 5th year)
Ruth – November 1933 – 12 (nearly 13, 2nd year)
Abel – November 1933 – 12 (nearly 13, 2nd year)
Eli – January 1939 – 7 (going on 8)
Lucy - September 1941 – 4 (1 week away from 5)
Penny – January 1943 – 3 and a half
You also see Linnet’s Michael (you all know Michael/the Linnet/Michael headcanons, I’m sure ;) ) and it’s all generally very busy on Platform 9 3/4 !
Set 1st September 1946.
It was a crisp Autumn day as the family headed to Kings Cross Station that morning, desperately trying not to get separated as the crowd began to thicken. Two older children pushed trollies with trunks in front of them, already moving further ahead in their excitement; behind, a younger and smaller boy with glasses pushed his own trolley, assisted by his father, as the youngest child – a small girl with a bow in her hair – clutched to their mother’s hand tightly.
“It’s so busy,” Wren said quietly, pressing her lips together.
Tina seemed to hesitate only slightly, though she didn’t stop walking; it seemed rather silly now, she thought, to bring a Legilimens as young as their daughter to a busy train station, and she couldn’t help but wonder if it would have been better for one of them to stay at home with her instead.
Wren frowned, giving her mother’s hand a tug forward. “I’m fine. I wanna see Phee and Lin and Leo go, Mummy!”
So stubborn, Tina thought fondly to herself; Linnet was stubborn too, so it was likely that Wren had picked it up from her older sister, given how much time they spent together.
They found their way to the barrier between platforms nine and ten, somehow managing to not become separated by the other civilians rushing about the station. In the time they waited for their parents and younger siblings to catch up, Phoenix and Linnet had managed to start a disagreement as to who was going first through the barrier.
“I’m a girl,” Linnet stated primly. “Ladies go first.”
“I’m the oldest,” Phoenix reminded her tersely. “I go first.”
“Not again,” Newt groaned, though there was obvious affection behind it. “Alright, no need to fight in the middle of the station, you two: it doesn’t matter who goes first, but if we don’t hurry then we’ll miss the train altogether.”
For a moment his two eldest children locked eyes, silently trying to force the other to back down – and then, finally, Linnet sighed. “Fine. Phoenix can go first – but only because if it’s blocked then he’ll smack the wall and not me.”
Phoenix sent her a dirty but triumphant look as he marched towards the barrier with his belongings; Leo watched in fascination as his brother disappeared easily, mouth agape in awe. Linnet followed shortly after, head held high and without a moment’s hesitation.
“Alright, now you, Leo,” Newt urged gently, putting his hands on his son’s shoulders. “Nervous?”
Leo swallowed. “No. Yes. Maybe.”
His father chuckled, shaking his head to himself. “I thought so. It is always slightly nerve-wracking the first time, I must say. You’ll be fine, Leo, I promise.”
The boy swallowed, trying to steel himself as he stared at the barrier between the platforms; it looked easy, but he still couldn’t help but worry that it wouldn’t work for him for some reason, that he wouldn’t be magical enough or something. It wouldn’t do well to hold everyone else up, of course, and so he took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and started a half-run to the barrier.
When he opened his eyes, a scarlet steam engine appeared before him.
This platform was just as busy as the muggle one he had come from, though it was now filled with families wishing their children goodbye as they prepared to leave for school. Groups of children crowded together to coo over magical pets, over books on potions, and a few were even clamouring to look at what broomsticks their friends had.
By the time his parents and sister appeared, Leo still hadn’t been able to see his older siblings or his cousins; Tina looked around as well as they made their way down the platform, craning her neck and frowning to herself. “They should be here already…”
“I’m sure they’re here somewhere, love,” Newt assured her, also looking around carefully. “And I’m sure Phoenix and Lin are with them too… Ah, over there!”
Moving through the mist, it became easier to make out the shape of another family clamouring near one of the carriages of the train; Queenie beamed at the sight of them, immediately stepping forward toward her sister with her arms open. “Teenie!”
Tina smiled as she hugged her sister back tightly, laughing when Daisy rushed over to greet her; her niece was wearing her prefect badge on her jumper already, clearly pleased with herself. “Still proud about being made prefect, huh?”
“Of course!” Daisy said excitedly, though she looked somewhat tired. “It means I can boss Phoenix about now properly.”
Phoenix rolled his eyes but said nothing, helping Jacob lift the trunks onto the train instead. Leo had grown silent, smiling somewhat nervously when Abel looked over his way; before his cousin could say anything, though, Ruth had bounded over excitedly, blonde curls tied back in braids that bounced over her shoulders. “It’s gonna be so fun, Leo!” She exclaimed, pulling him into a hug without warning. “What house do you think you’ll be in? I think you’ll be a Hufflepuff, that’s the best house of course, and it was Uncle Newt’s house – you don’t want to be a Gryffindor like Phoenix and Daisy, they get in trouble a lot for doing stupid things…”
Meanwhile, Wren had silently taken Newt’s hand as she watched her siblings and cousin prepare to board the Hogwarts Express; after a few seconds, she looked up at him with wide eyes. “Can I go, Daddy? I’ll be good, I promise.”
He chuckled fondly, giving her hand a tight squeeze. “I know you’d be good, Wren. I’m afraid you’ll have to wait until you’re a bit older, however – it won’t be too long now, you’ll see.”
“It’s forever away,” She complained with a pout. “I’m five, and you have to be eleven…that’s…” She hesitated, trying to count her numbers in her mind. “That’s…six years away!”
“It is,” Newt agreed, amused by the disappointed look on her face. “But it’ll pass in no time, you’ll see.” After all, just think about how fast time has passed for the other three…feels like only yesterday they were just mere babies.
Wren huffed, shaking her head to herself. “I’m not a baby either… And time isn’t passing for me. It’s not fair. I’m going to be all on my own.”
“Not completely – me and Mummy will still be here,” He reminded her gently. “You’ll have us all to yourself, and you can do more around the case now without them. How does that sound?”
“Well… Okay, I guess,” She relented half-heartedly.
Linnet, who had gotten onto the train to put her trunk away, appeared then, now chatting amicably with a tall lanky boy; he was wearing a Hufflepuff scarf, dark hair tousled as he nodded and smiled with whatever she was saying.
Wren’s shoulders lifted, wrenching her hand out of her father’s so that she could run over to them. “Hello, Michael! It’s good to see you again!”
“It’s nice to see you too, Wren,” Michael laughed quietly as she threw her arms around him. “You’re getting taller – soon you’ll be taller than me.”
She pulled a face. “I hope not.”
As they continued to talk, Newt decided to see how Leo was faring; his youngest son was now currently with his mother, having been released by Ruth, and looking anxious as she helped him to load the last of his things onto the train. When she reappeared, she looked rather melancholy – and it didn’t require Legilimency to understand why.
“You’re sure you’ve got everything?” Tina checked, and Leo nodded wordlessly. “Books, cauldron, wand, jumper… All of it?”
“Yes, Mum.” He hesitated. “I’ll write when I get there…I mean, once I’m sorted and everything; I’ll tell you what house I’m in and everything.
She bit her lip, and when she spoke her voice sounded surprisingly close to breaking. “Alright. Have fun, okay? Try to stay out of trouble, and make some friends too – I don’t want you being lonely over there.”
“I won’t be,” Leo assured her, though he didn’t sound too convinced himself. “I’ve got Phoenix and Lin and all the others… I think I’ll be okay.”
For a moment, neither of them said anything – but then suddenly Leo was lurching forwards, burying himself into his mother’s coat and embracing her desperately. Tina looked surprised but said nothing, instead running her fingers through his hair as she held him tightly.
“I’m gonna miss you, Mum,” He admitted, growing tearful. “I know I’m being a baby, I’m eleven, but… I will miss you, Mum, I will.”
“I’ll miss you too,” She agreed, closing her eyes to hide the fact that she was tearing up too. “I’ll miss all of you while you’re gone – but I know that you’re going to have a great time too, learning how to use magic properly.”
He nodded, almost to himself. “Yeah, I know…but I’m still gonna miss you a lot, Mum.”
Although Leo wasn’t her youngest, he was still very much her baby in many ways – perhaps because he was exactly like Newt, from his ruffled hair to his love of animals and the natural world. It was always emotional when a child was about to start their first year, as they had learnt with Phoenix and Linnet over the previous years – but with Leo, it was slightly more so, given the close relationship he shared with his mother.
Queenie had also been watching with a small smile, moving now to stand beside Newt. “Teen’s worried about him – he’s a quiet boy, and she doesn’t want him to get picked on by the bigger kids. I was the same with Abel.”
“I can’t believe he’s already off to school,” Newt murmured, shaking his head to himself. “I can’t believe any of them are off to school, quite frankly…seems strange to consider.”
“I know,” She agreed forlornly. “I always thought… I figured that if I had kids then they’d go to Ilvermorny, even when I was just a little girl. It’s real odd to think that they don’t sometimes.”
He wasn’t quite sure how to respond to that, but thankfully the whistle from the train cut him off – a sign that it would be leaving shortly.
It was a flurry of goodbyes and final embraces on the platform as parents said farewell to their children and wished them a fun term at school; Queenie was sure to kiss all of her children and then her niece and nephews goodbye as they prepared to get onto the train, beaming brightly and bidding them a fun year. Jacob grinned at each of them as they hugged him goodbye, slipping each of the children small wrapped-up pastries as he did so.
“You know, for the journey,” He said, chuckling to himself when Daisy embraced him tightly in thanks; he would, of course, continue to send them baked treats all throughout the school year, as was tradition now in their family.
Unsurprisingly, Leo was the last to board the train; he lingered to say goodbye to his uncle and aunt before turning to both of his parents once more. He looked uncertain of what to say, of what to do, as he gnawed on his lip thoughtfully. “I’ll send an owl as soon as I can,” He said finally, and behind his glasses his eyes were glistening. “I…I’ll miss you both.”
Tina moved forwards, pulling him into a tight hug and closing her eyes. “We’ll miss you too – every day. But you’ll have fun, Leo, I promise; just don’t get into too much trouble, and…and have fun.”
“I will, Mum,” Leo promised quietly, pulling away from her.
“Besides, we’ll see you for the holidays,” Newt added, patting his son on the shoulder. “It’ll give you something to look forward to, won’t it?”
Their son’s face brightened slightly. “Yeah, I guess so.”
“I wanna go,” Wren mumbled, looking saddened as she folded her arms. “I’m the only one not going – it’s not fair.”
“You’ll go too someday,” Newt reminded her fondly. “It won’t be long at all now, you’ll see.”
Leo gave his younger sister one last hug and smiled at her. “Don’t worry, Wren – I’ll think about you every day while I’m gone: I’ll even write letters just for you.” When she looked unconvinced, he added, “I can get Phoenix and Linnet to buy stuff in Hogsmeade, and I’ll send it to you. Would you like that?”
“Hmm… Okay!” She agreed, and she gave him a small grin. “But don’t forget, Leo, because you promised!”
They watched as Leo clambered onto the train, and just a minute later he was poking his head out of the compartment his siblings had claimed earlier. All of the children were hanging out of the window as best as they could as the train started to pull out of the station, waving and calling their goodbyes to their parents loudly. The train slowly started to gather speed, and it wasn’t too long before the children disappeared from sight.
Wren was crying softly against her father’s side as she continued to wave, clearly unhappy to be left behind and to have to say goodbye to all of her older siblings; Newt patted her with one hand as the other waved. When he cast his gaze over to his wife, there was a few tears running down her face – small but still there.
“He’ll be fine,” He murmured to her. “They all will.”
“I know,” Tina sighed, still staring at the disappearing train – but a smile was slowly making its way onto her face. “I just…can’t believe how fast they’ve grown up.”
Wren tilted her head. “Even me?”
“Even you,” She affirmed affectionately, somewhat amused as she squeezed her daughter’s shoulder. “Come on, I guess we should head home then – your Auntie Queenie invited us for lunch.”
The station was starting to empty now that the train had gone, families leaving as they chattered quietly; Newt kept a firm grip on Wren’s hand as they made to leave, feeling himself rather overcome with emotion. It was hard to believe that three of his four children were now attending Hogwarts, learning to control their magic and use it properly, when it seemed only recently that they had been mere babies he had carried about his case with him – and he knew that Tina felt the same, even without her saying it.
Dear Mum and Dad,
I’m at Hogwarts now! The train journey was fine, nothing dangerous or out of the ordinary happened – though Phoenix did eat a bean that tasted like vomit (or so he says). It’s only my first day, but I already miss you and I miss Wren too. Will you tell the creatures I miss them as well?
I’ve only seen a little bit of Hogwarts, but it seems so big! The others said that I’d get used to it, and that if I wanted help finding my way around then I could just ask them, but it seems so strange at the moment. The staircases move all the time, just like you said, Dad, and there were ghosts at the feast! They were mostly polite, however, so I’m happy.
The main reason I wrote this letter was to let you know that I got sorted, and guess what? I’m in Hufflepuff, just like you, Dad! Phoenix looked slightly put out that I’m not in Gryffindor like him, but he congratulated me all the same. Ruth and Toby are happy that I’m in the same house as them, and Linnet’s friend Michael let me sit next to him at the feast. I feel better about being at Hogwarts because I know some people already – mostly family, but also a few other people who are friends with Phoenix and Linnet.
I’m going to write at least once a week because I still miss you both so much. Remember to tell the creatures that I miss them, especially the bowtruckles, and that I’m thinking about them every day.
The Beginning of an Uncertain Future (Part 2/2) - a Newt/Tina fic
Here it is – chapter two! I hope that you enjoy the second half of the fic, and thank you for all the wonderful comments so far! :D
Tina left early the following morning before the children woke up; she crept into each of their rooms before leaving, making sure that they were comfortable in their beds before pressing soft kisses to each of their foreheads. It was somewhat of a struggle to not tear up at the sight of them sleeping in their beds peacefully, at how innocent and at rest they looked; instead she swallowed the lump in her throat, reminding herself to remain strong – she had done her crying already, and it wouldn’t make things any better. No, instead of crying she would use the memories of them to motivate her through the hard time to come, to help her stay focused – she needed to come home to them, after all.
Newt was silent as he kissed her goodbye, his lips lingering on hers for a few seconds longer than was absolutely necessary – but she understood. After a last embrace that conveyed so much in so little words, she set off; she would walk out beyond the boundaries of the wards placed on the house before apparating to the Ministry to meet with the rest of the team leaving – from there on, her whereabouts would be classified information.
Her husband watched her go, feeling his heart sink into the pit of his stomach; though he reminded himself not to worry, it was difficult not to – she was his wife, so of course he was concerned for her. After all, his own brother had gone missing just a month before; Theseus had been a decorated and celebrated war-hero, an expert in duelling and fighting – if he had gone missing, then there was no telling what might happen to Tina.
As he watched her start to disappear from view, Newt couldn’t help but wonder if this truly was the last time he’d see his wife.
The children grew quiet over the following weeks after their mother’s departure, barely speaking to their father unless absolutely necessary and no longer indulging in fun playtime activities down in the case. Even being around their favourite creatures did little to lift their spirits, the hole caused by their mother’s absence too large to be filled.
Newt tried to distract them, of course; he allowed them to do more and more in the various habitats inside the case, more tasks to keep them occupied, and he allowed them to interact with some of the more dangerous creatures (Tina would probably hex him for allowing their five-year-old son near the Nundu, he mused sadly). However, no matter what he did, the children remained deflated and miserable.
He couldn’t blame them, really, considering that he felt exactly the same.
The children all coped with their misery in different ways, of course, and it didn’t come as much of a surprise to Newt for they were different to each other in many ways. As expected, Phoenix became reserved and more hesitant; as the oldest, he knew it would be his job to set an example for his siblings and to remain strong even if he wasn’t feeling so. He would attempt to coax smiles out of his younger siblings, though with little luck, and he soon took to spending time near the Niffler’s enclosure – his favourite creature. Linnet had always been the loudest of their children, having no problem in making herself heard – and so it was her silence that was more noticeable. Instead of playing hide-and-seek with Dougal or helping him feed the Mooncalves, she had taken to sitting with her back against the Occamy nest with a book, reading to herself without a word – and it wasn’t difficult to explain why: Tina had always sat in the exact same position when she read to the creatures and children.
Leo, on the other hand, had already been the quietest of their children, only speaking when necessary; he was much like Newt in many ways, preferring either his own company or that of the creatures instead of other humans. He was a shy boy, introverted even at such a young age, and his father couldn’t help but be a smidge concerned over him; Leo had been extremely close to Tina, for he was the youngest – he had very much been her baby, even now aged five.
It was just a few days after Tina’s departure when he found Leo inside of the graphorn enclosure, sitting in the dirt and hunched over; immediately concerned, Newt rushed over to see what was the matter. “Leo…is everything alright?”
His son’s shoulders shook as he knelt down in front of him. “’m…’m f-fine.” It was obvious that he was crying, even with his face hidden away in his knees.
“Oh… Leo,” Newt sighed, tentatively putting a hand on the boy’s shoulder. “You know that you don’t have to pretend to be fine – come on, why don’t we go into the shed and talk about this properly?”
The five-year-old lifted his head to nod, eyes rimmed read and filled with tears as he reached out to take his father’s hand. “O-Okay.”
It was rather cramped in the shed, owing to the fact that he hadn’t bothered to tidy things in a while, and it took him a short time to find two stools for them to sit on; he had to help his son onto his before sitting down opposite, debating to himself how best to approach this conversation. “Alright…now, how about you tell me what’s upsetting you?”
Leo sniffed, looking down at the floor – to Newt’s bewilderment, he realized his son looked ashamed. “It’s stupid,” He mumbled, rubbing at his eyes to try and remove the evidence of his tears. “It’s just… I miss Mummy.”
“Ah. Of course you do,” The Magizoologist sighed, closing his eyes for a moment. “I’m not shocked that you miss her… I miss her very much too.”
“It’s stupid,” Leo repeated miserably. “She’s gone to war – can’t stop her now. Phoenix said she’s fighting the bad guys who hurt people because that’s her job.”
“Yes,” Newt agreed, opening his eyes and nodding. “Yes, she is.”
His son bit his lower lip, fiddling with the hem of his shirt agitatedly. “I want Mummy back, even if she is fighting bad people – I miss her. I know she’s brave and good because she’s doing it, but…but I still wish she was here and not there.” He lowered his head. “Am I selfish?”
Newt took a deep breath, reaching to put a gentle hand on his son’s knee. “Not at all, Leo – it’s completely normal to want your mother here, and I’m sure Phoenix and Linnet want her to be here too.” He paused, swallowing the sudden lump in his throat. “I miss her more than you can imagine.”
“I want her here,” Leo repeated, and his voice had raised in pitch – a sign that he was going to start crying again soon. “I miss Mummy’s hugs, and her telling us stories…and her tucking me in. It’s not the same without her…I…I just want her h-here.”
Suddenly he was lurching forwards, practically throwing himself at his father as he started to cry heavily; Newt found himself at somewhat of a loss at what to do as he held his son in his arms. Finally, he settled for rubbing soothing circles on his son’s back and pushing back mussed curls – so similar to his own – from his forehead.
“Oh, Leo…I know,” He murmured, and his voice wavered a tad. “I want nothing more than for her to be here with us – and I’m sure she wants the same, to come home and be with us. But your mother is doing a very important thing in going to war… She’s doing it because she hopes it will mean a better future for you three.”
“H-H-How?”
“Well… There are some rather unkind people in the world,” Newt said carefully, wary of upsetting his son further. “Very dangerous people who want to hurt others. Your mother hopes that if she fights then it will help to get rid of them all – that it will give the three of you a safer future. Do you understand?”
Leo sniffled loudly but started to nod, clutching to his father’s waistcoat as he digested the information he’d been given. “I…I think so. Do you know…when she comes back?”
“I’m afraid I don’t. I wish I did,” He muttered, exhaling slightly. “But hopefully, if we are lucky, the war will end soon and then she can come back to us. That’s all I know unfortunately – if I knew more, then I would happily tell you.”
His son wiped at his eyes, nodding his head to himself. “Okay, okay… I feel a little bit better now,” He confessed, somewhat sheepishly.
“I’m glad,” Newt said, smiling; it felt weak and forced, as if he had no choice but to do so. “If you need to talk about anything – especially about your mother – then I’m happy to listen and try to help. I can’t promise I’ll be particularly useful, but all the same I’m here.”
As Leo hugged him once more, appearing somewhat calmer, he couldn’t help but reflect on the promise that he had made to Tina before she had gone; he had hardly any idea as to how he was supposed to support their three children through this when he himself was anxious about her, but he would do it.
The children’s well-beings were far more important than his own misery and worry, after all.
Linnet had sat down at the kitchen table that afternoon with the intention of writing her monthly letter to her aunt and uncle, quite content; it was only when had settled in her seat with her parchment and quill (charmed by Newt not to spill ink, just in case) that she realized something was missing.
Her mother.
The thought made her chest hurt; Tina had always been the one to help her with it, making sure that she spelt everything correctly and that her handwriting was as neat as possible. The absence of her mother by her side felt awkward, strange, and it made something cold run through her.
She found herself staring at the parchment on the table, suddenly much more unsure about what to write; there wasn’t a lot she could say, really, given that not a great deal had happened – other than her mother leaving to fight in the war, that was. She wondered if her aunt and uncle knew about this, if they had been informed beforehand – her mother did write many of her own letters to them, after all, so it was highly likely.
Hand shaking slightly, Linnet picked up her quill and took a deep breath; she wanted to do this, wanted to continue this habit even if Tina wasn’t nearby to help. Her mother would want her to do this.
With that in mind, she started to write.
Dear Auntie Queenie and Uncle Jacob,
I hope you’re both doing fine, and that you’re happy. Daddy looked Bertha the Graphorn over and said that she is pregnant, which makes him happy because there are not a lot of Graphorns left and so he wants more to be born. I am happy too because babies are nice.
She paused then, wondering if she should bother mentioning it – but then she reminded herself that she could talk to her aunt and uncle about anything. They would both understand and care if she said something was bothering her, and so she continued on.
I don’t know if Mummy told you before she left, but she has gone to fight in the war. Daddy says that we can’t know exactly where she is or send owls because she has to be top-secret and hide from the bad people. I don’t know when she’ll be coming back, but I hope it’s soon because I miss her a lot.
Linnet gnawed on her lip, ignoring the sting of tears in her eyes.
Phoenix is really upset, even though he doesn’t say anything – he doesn’t even tease me anymore. I kind of miss his teasing now. And Leo is very sad all of the time because he’s the baby and he gets upset over everything – he keeps hugging Daddy all the time and not saying anything at all. I’m very upset too because Phoenix told me that war is dangerous and that people die in war – I don’t want Mummy to get hurt or die in war.
A tear splashed down onto her parchment.
I can’t sleep because I’m so sad and scared about Mummy. She was supposed to write this letter with me but because she’s fighting she can’t, and I don’t like writing my letter alone. Mummy is strong and a good fighter and very brave, but so was my Uncle Theseus and he went missing. Daddy is still sad about Uncle Theseus, and so am I because he used to bring me chocolate without telling Mummy or Daddy.
Another couple of tears dripped off of her nose, smudging the words slightly – she ignored them.
Daddy is very unhappy without Mummy; I think he is worrying, even though he does not worry. He loves her very much and misses her, and I think he is scared too even though he keeps telling us he’s not. He pretends to smile when we are around, but I think he’s only doing it because he wants to make us happy even without Mummy. I’m worried about Daddy too, but in a different way to Mummy.
I am sorry that my letter is sad. I hope Mummy comes back soon so that my next letter is happy.
Lots and lots and lots of love, hugs and kisses,
Linnet
Once she had put her quill down, Linnet raised her arms up to her face and started to sob; things were so strange without Tina around, so wrong, and she didn’t like it. She worried that her mother would be hurt – or worse, killed – in combat, that she would never get to see her mother again. She had wanted to be like her mother for as long as she could remember: brave, strong, an Auror – and now she couldn’t help but think that perhaps she wouldn’t have the chance to learn more from her, a chance to make her mother proud.
She was still sobbing when Newt hurried in a few minutes later, alarmed as he wrapped his arms around her and tried to offer come comfort. “It’s alright, Linnet, it’s alright…”
For once – the first time in her life perhaps – she couldn’t think of anything to say; instead, she merely buried her face into her father’s shirt and let her emotions out.
It was just over two weeks later that he received the letter from the Wizarding War Department requesting for his assistance in Ukraine; they were attempting to tame dragons for the war effort, and his expertise in the field of Magizoology – plus past experience working with dragons – made him the only man they wanted for the job.
He immediately wrote back and declined.
Three decades ago, Newt would have accepted such a proposal – and he had, in fact, serving on the Eastern Front during the first war. Now, however, it was not possible; he was the sole caregiver to three children, all too young to attend Hogwarts let alone be left alone at all, and his duties as their father came first.
Another, slightly more frantic letter arrived the day after he’d sent his reply off – and again, he wrote back to firmly tell them that he was not leaving England under any circumstances. His duty was to protect the children whilst his wife was gone, a promise he had made and sworn to her – and he had no intentions of backing down on the matter. When the third letter came, it was with the request that he at least offer correspondence from home to advise and assist them in their efforts; Newt agreed to this compromise, for this seemed like a fair contribution to make.
He, like Tina, wanted a better world for their children to grow up in – and while he would not be fighting battles like she was, he could at least lend his knowledge to try and help make a difference.
On the third week since her departure, a dreadful massacre occurred in Scandinavia; Grindelwald’s followers had attacked and overwhelmed a team of fifty Aurors before slaughtering them all in the dead of night. No one survived it at all.
Newt had panicked upon hearing the news, though forced himself to remain outwardly calm for the sake of the children; his only thoughts were of Tina, of whether or not she had been a part of this team who had been mercilessly killed. He kept the news from the three children, of course, not wishing to worry or upset them – there was no point until he knew for sure.
When no news or official Ministry letters came over the following days, he was relieved – no news was better than news, in this case, and he was extremely glad that he did not receive a letter of any kind regarding Tina or her current status.
For now, it meant that she was still alive and fighting – and that was by far the best news he could have wished for.
A month had passed since Tina had gone when a handsome tawny owl delivered a letter to the Scamander family; Newt felt his blood run cold at the sight of the all too familiar official Ministry wax seal on the back of the envelope, his stomach lurching unpleasantly.
Please don’t let this be what I think it is…please.
His fingers were shaking as he broke the seal and opened the envelope, trying not to lose his nerve completely in front of the children; all three of them had noticed immediately, however, and were watching him with wide eyes. He didn’t know what he would say if the letter was what he dreaded it to be – he didn’t know what he would do with the news, let alone how to tell the children. There was little point in delaying the process, so he carefully pulled the letter from the envelope and opened it out to read.
Dear Mr Newton Scamander,
We are writing to inform you that your wife, Porpentina Scamander, is to be discharged from active combat due to unforeseen circumstances. Please do not worry yourself, for she is both physically and mentally well. She is to arrive home on 16th October – she will first visit her superior in the Investigative Department at the Ministry to go over the details of her release for vital paperwork before Flooing to your home.
If you have any other queries, do contact us.
Sincerely,
Leonard Spencer-Moon (MoM)
“Dad?” Phoenix’s voice was quiet; Linnet was pressed into his side, a rare sight given their proclivity for bickering, and looking terrified. Leo looked close to tears. “Is it about Mum?”
“Yes,” Newt said slowly, still staring at the letter in disbelief.
Linnet whimpered. “Oh no…she’s…”
Leo’s bottom lip wobbled dangerously, and their father cleared his throat hurriedly. “No, it’s not that! It’s…” He took a deep breath, relief washing over him as the news sunk in, and smiled at the three of them. “Mummy’s coming home.”
On the day Tina was due home, Newt and the children had settled into waiting in the living room by the fireplace; the letter had not mentioned a particular time for her arrival, but they wanted to be sure that they were there to welcome her home immediately.
To pass the time whilst waiting, the children had settled into playing board games and drawing pictures; at one point, Newt had helped Leo decide on what colour to make his Niffler in his drawing whilst Phoenix and Linnet started a game of chess. As it turned out, chess between his two eldest children soon became more of a tense battle of who was better – Phoenix was older and more used to the game, but Linnet thought about her moves in greater detail and planned ahead. As the game heated up, Leo forgot about his drawing momentarily in order to watch his older siblings play – he didn’t understand chess as well as they did, but it was still entertaining.
“Ready to give up?” Linnet asked, smiling smugly as she took one of her brother’s bishops.
Phoenix glared at her, moving his castle forward to attack her pawn. “Never. I’m not losing to a girl.”
This remark made Linnet’s smirk dropped, and she glowered at him. “Oh, you’re dead.”
Within minutes she had taken his King, beaming triumphantly as her brother’s mouth fell open in shock; Leo was giggling and high-fiving their sister whilst Newt congratulated her with a kiss on the cheek.
“How?! How did I lose to you?!”
“Because I’m a girl and I’m the smartest one in the family,” Linnet boasted, giving him a hard shove on the shoulder. “You’re just a silly little boy.”
Phoenix looked ready to hit her back, and Newt hurriedly cleared his throat. “Alright, no need to get nasty about it. Linnet, well done on winning – you played a good game. Phoenix, you did very well too, and maybe next time you’ll win. We’re not going to fight about this when your mother’s coming home today, are we?”
Both children had the decency to look sheepish as they shook their heads and murmured apologies to each other – neither of them wanted the first thing their mother saw to be them squabbling, after all.
The rest of the afternoon stretched on into evening as they waited; Linnet settled on the sofa with a book, though it was obvious that she wasn’t reading as her eyes continued to dart to the fireplace longingly. Leo, who had grown both tired and slightly impatient while waiting, settled against his father’s side and appeared to be struggling not to drift off. Meanwhile, Phoenix had taken to alternating between pacing the room and sitting in a chair whilst staring at the fireplace and biting his nails; it was clear that he was quite unsure what to do with himself, anxious to see their mother already.
It was nearly six o’clock when the fireplace suddenly roared to life, green flames bursting up; all of them jolted to life, clambering to their feet as a figure emerged and stepped into the room.
Tina.
“MUM!”
“MUMMY, YOU’RE BACK!”
“Mummy, Mummy!”
She was laughing as all three of the children ran to hug her, wrapping her arms around all of them as best as she could and embracing them tightly; she looked only slightly worse for wear, sporting cuts and bruises on her face, neck and what was visible of her shoulders, her uniform dirty. As the children clung to her, babbling about how much they had missed her and were glad she was home, she raised her eyes to look at her husband.
Newt couldn’t help but smile, out of relief, because she was safe and that was all that mattered.
The children went to bed later than usual that night, overexcited by the return of their mother and wanting to tell her about what they had done since she’d been gone. She had listened, appearing more than happy to be with them again as she smiled and laughed with them. When, finally, they had grown sleepy and exhausted, she put them to bed herself whilst her husband took care of their creatures in the case; she kissed them and tucked them in, revelling in the adoring sentiments of love they gave her. It was obvious that she had missed them just as much as they’d missed her, if not more so.
Once they had settled and fallen asleep, Tina immediately went to the bathroom to shower; she hadn’t had hot water to wash herself in for over a month, and it felt heavenly to stand underneath the warm spray as it washed the dirt and grit from her body completely. She washed her hair, trying not to wince when her fingers tugged on a few knotted strands, and allowed herself to enjoy the feeling of being home once more.
Having said that, it was difficult not to feel nervous considering why she had been sent home.
Once she had had enough of the water, she got out of the shower and wrapped a towel around herself; she dried her hair with a quick charm before dressing in her favourite pyjamas. It felt so much better than the uniform she’d been forced to wear, and she felt more like herself than she had in a while. Staring in the mirror at her reflection, Tina noticed the bruises and cuts on her face; they were superficial, and there was no point in wasting time healing such minor injuries when they’d be gone within a week anyhow.
Despite the feeling of ease that came from being at home and safe, however, her hands shook slightly as they gripped the edge of the sink; it had been unlike anything she’d seen before whilst fighting, messy and difficult and terrifying. She’d seen people die in front of her, people she had worked with for years, people who weren’t fighting but were still tortured for information… It would haunt her for years to come, she knew.
She was lucky, really, even if a part of her didn’t feel it – being discharged whilst in perfectly good health was hardly honourable, but she’d had no choice in the matter. The reasons for why would be noted in her file at the Ministry, and she would not be stripped of her job or pension in the future, should she wish to return to her work as an Auror.
But she couldn’t bring herself to feel happy about it, at least not yet – she would have to discuss it with her husband first before making any rash decisions. With that in mind, it was with a sigh and an unsettled stomach that she left the bathroom.
After tending to the creatures and making sure that they were adequately settled for the night, Newt made his way up the stairs and to bed; Tina, fresh from the shower and now in a pair of comfortable pyjamas, was waiting for him in bed.
It felt good to have her waiting in bed for him.
She said nothing as he dressed himself in his own nightclothes, but there was an unmistakeable smile on her face as he clambered into bed beside her; immediately she was embracing him, burying herself into his shoulder, and he couldn’t help but wrap his own arms around her.
“I’ve missed you so much,” Tina told him, and she sounded slightly tearful. “I missed you.”
“Oh, I missed you too,” Newt agreed, squeezing her to himself. “I didn’t quite get to tell you earlier – the children stole you away to themselves – but… I am so unbelievably glad to have you home and safe.”
He pressed a kiss to her cheek, and then to her mouth, overjoyed that she was here with him; she laughed against his mouth, somewhat half-heartedly, and kissed him back. Her mind was screaming at her, reminding that she had to tell him certain things, that she had to do it tonight, and so she pulled back before things could get too heated.
“Before we do anything, I…I have to tell you something,” Tina confessed, her smile fading rapidly.
“Oh. Of course, love,” Newt agreed easily, sitting back on his haunches and smiling encouragingly – a sign he was listening.
She took a deep breath, trying to prepare herself to give the news. “I don’t know how much they told you about why they discharged me, but…but you need to know why. It’s important.” When he didn’t say anything, she continued uneasily. “A few weeks ago, I started getting sick and throwing up; at first I thought it was because of stress, you know? And the food wasn’t exactly nutritious, so I figured it was nothing. But then the medic on our team started to notice, and he wanted to give me a full examination to be safe.”
“And?” He sounded concerned. “Is everything alright?”
Tina bit her lower lip, her hand slowly moving to rest on her stomach. “I’m…I’m pregnant.”
Newt looked simply amazed, eyes wide and lips parting in surprise. “Pregnant?” He repeated, and she nodded nervously. “Pregnant… Merlin’s beard.” He choked then, emotions welling up in his throat and making it difficult for him to speak. “Oh, Tina…a baby. That’s so wonderful!”
But she was not smiling as he leaned forwards to embrace her, was not happy. “I…I don’t know how to feel,” She admitted quietly, avoiding his eye. “You didn’t see what I saw out there, Newt…you didn’t see how awful it’s gotten. People tortured and murdered without a second thought, so much suffering… It’s terrifying.”
“Tina…”
“It’s not just wizards,” She continued on, dangerously close to crying. “It’s the muggles too – they’re rounding people up, innocent people who haven’t done anything…women, men, children… They’re taking them from their homes because they’re Jewish, because they’re undesirable to him.”
He knew enough to know who she was referencing – he was certain the entire world knew who Adolf Hitler was at this point.
“I don’t know if I should feel happy,” Tina admitted, wiping her eyes on her sleeve. “It feels wrong to be happy about bringing a child into a world full of hate; if Grindelwald or Hitler win, then our whole family is in danger – let alone if both win. I’m already so worried about our children, about the three of them… Imagine how I would worry with another one.”
Newt sighed, taking her into his arms; she immediately pressed herself against him, her head on his chest. “Tina, I know. I know that it’s awful, and I feel absolutely sickened when I remember what’s happening out there. I want our children to be safe too, more than anything… But,” He added, hesitating slightly. “We were told that it would be impossible for us to have more children, and yet here we are now: something that shouldn’t have been possible is happening. We’ve managed to do it – create this little life – despite all the odds, and I think that’s fantastic.”
“Newt…” But she was no longer crying miserably, looking stunned by his proclamation.
“This baby…Merlin, even saying it,” He chuckled, and a tear slid down his face. “We wanted another baby for so long, and now we’re finally having one. Granted, it’s three years later than what we were planning, but all the same I’m so unbelievably thrilled.”
Tina was close to tears again – but this time of joy. “You really are happy…you’re not just saying it.”
“Tina, I would never lie to you,” Newt told her honestly, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “I really am happy about this – I can’t wait to meet our new little one.” His hand cupped her stomach tenderly as a tear dropped onto her shoulder.
The noise she made was somewhere between a laugh and an overjoyed sob as she kissed him, all of her worries suddenly dissipating; the war wouldn’t go away just because they were having a baby, of course, and it was still extremely dangerous to bring a child into such a world – but they’d manage it, somehow, the way they always managed it.
Together.
I did my research and found out that Leonard Spencer-Moon held the office of Minister of Magic from 1939 to 1948, and this fic is set in 1940.
So, just to clarify; this story is an alternate way that Tina found out she’s pregnant with Wren. So it would be an alternate version of “A Glimpse of Sunlight”, in some ways, because it would happen instead of that fic. I hope I’m making sense here. (or you can imagine that she’s pregnant with a different baby, your call!)
I wanted to write this and upload it quickly because I’m in Disneyland Paris Sunday through to Tuesday, and then at a funeral on Wednesday, so I’ll be unable to write or upload until Thursday at the earliest.
I hope that you enjoyed, and please don’t forget to leave feedback! It means to world to me!
Wow I can't imagen how Tina felt when Leo said that he gotten engaged without telling his parents
Oh, I know! She’s always considered Leo her baby and felt especially close/protective of him because a) he was born 10 weeks early, b) born in the midst of a battleground (long story, of course!), c) he was the youngest for 6 years and d) he is the spitting image of Newt - so the fact that he got engaged and didn’t tell her them is really quite upsetting for her.
I mean, she was happy for him because he was happy but…it just upset her that he didn’t write home to say anything.
(Newt comforted and talked to her about it, and he later told Leo why it had upset Tina so much; Leo was apologetic when he next saw his mother, he hadn’t meant to upset her with it at all)
Phoenix – 22nd June 1931 – 10 (going on 11)
Linnet – 13th January 1933 – 9
Leo – 3rd March 1935 – 7
Wren – 5th May 1941 – 11 months old
(Kowalski children:)
Tobias “Toby” – 15th October 1929 – 12 (in his first year at Hogwarts)
Daisy – 7th April 1931 – 11 (about to start Hogwarts)
Abel and Ruth (twins) – 20th November 1933 – 8
Elijah “Eli” – 28th January 1939 – 3
Lucy – 8th September 1941 – 7 months old
It had been her sister’s idea to bring the children to a muggle playground of all things; Queenie had simply smiled and said that the fresh air would do all of them some good – the Kowalski children had played just fine with the non-magical children in New York, she’d stated.
“There ain’t nothing wrong with No-Majs,” Queenie reminded her. “I married one and he’s the sweetest…besides, the kids need other kids to play with who aren’t family – magic or no magic, it’ll teach them to make friends.”
“I never said there was anything wrong with No-Majs,” Tina defended, somewhat embarrassed. “I’m just being…cautious.”
It was a relatively warm spring day, and the children had immediately rushed to play; their mothers had settled a short distance away on a bench so that they could keep watch of them. Tina seemed more anxious, unable to help herself from glancing at where her children were greeting a group of No-Maj (muggle, she could imagine Newt correcting) children; her sister merely gave a laugh, shaking her head.
“Teen, don’t worry,” She assured her, carefully removing her youngest daughter from the stroller she had brought; Lucy cooed up at her, blonde hair sticking up from her short nap. “The kids will be fine – Daisy will look out for them, no problem. Come on, I think Wren needs a hug.”
“Are you reading my daughter’s mind?” Tina asked, only half-heartedly stern. “She’s not even a year old!”
“I’m not reading her mind really,” Queenie said calmly. “There’s no thoughts – but I can tell what she’s feeling, and she needs a hug.”
Her sister huffed but lifted the baby into her arms; Wren gave a happy peal of laughter at the attention before looking around at the unfamiliar surroundings eagerly. Tina couldn’t help but grin. “It’s not the case, I know, but your Auntie Queenie insisted.”
She watched as her daughter peered around curiously before struggling to get free; it hadn’t taken Newt and Tina long to realize that she was rather fond of exploring, and while this was a rather good thing in some capacity…well, it posed a slight problem sometimes. It was for this reason that Tina kept a firm hold on her, determined not to let her break free.
“And I thought Eli had been trouble,” Queenie mused under her breath, clearly having read her older sister’s thoughts.
While the other children had set off to play – except for Eli, who was in the sandbox with a rather patient Abel – Leo had hung back; he wasn’t particularly sociable, and he wasn’t too comfortable to be surrounded by so many children he didn’t know. No, he would have honestly preferred just playing with his siblings and cousins or being in the case with his father all day – but he knew that his mother and Auntie Queenie had been planning this trip out, so he had come along willingly.
It was for this reason that he found himself glad he had brought his copy of ‘Fantastic Beasts’ with him; Tina had transfigured the cover so that it looked more like a muggle children’s fairy-tale book, and he was more than happy to sit on the swings with it. No matter how many times he found himself looking through it, he found himself enchanted by reading about all of these magical creatures – many that he had grown up around, in fact.
The Bowtruckles are the best, Leo thought to himself as he flicked to that page eagerly; there was a small drawing of a Bowtruckle underneath the description, and he wondered whether this particular one had had a name. Perhaps it had been one of the ones his father kept in the case, he thought, or even one he’d seen travelling.
A sudden hard push knocked him forwards and off the swing, sprawling awkwardly into the dirt below; his glasses flew off his nose and there was the sound of sniggering. When Leo had managed to put his glasses back on, he looked up and saw that there were two muggle boys watching him; they were probably around the same age as Phoenix, and just as tall.
“Oops,” One of them muttered with a smirk. “Sorry, four-eyes.”
Leo’s cheeks burned as he hurriedly picked his book up from the ground; his knees were hurting from where he probably skinned them going down, and his palms were scratched. His mother or aunt would be able to heal him no problem, he knew, but it still hurt.
“Look at him,” Another boy guffawed. “He’s just a little baby.”
“’m seven,” Leo mumbled, avoiding their eyes; he knew that he was rather small for his age, small and thin, and it was something he hated.
He was staggering to his feet, book in arms, when firm hands shoved him back into the dirt again; his book went skidding across the ground as he fell, and he yelped out involuntarily when the graze on his knees stung.
“What’ve you been reading?” The first boy sneered, reaching to pick the book up; he looked at the cover and gave a sharp peal of laughter. “Fairy-tales…what a baby.”
“Give me my book back!” Leo cried, reaching for it; the boy yanked the book away quickly, out of reach. “Stop it!”
The second boy snorted. “My sister is only five and she doesn’t even read fairy-tales!”
Across the playground, Abel had noticed that something was amiss; silently, he helped Elijah up out of the sandbox and set off towards where their mothers were sitting. He was too shy to intervene himself, but he knew that Tina and Queenie would have no problem whatsoever.
Leo managed to push himself into a standing position and tried to grab the book from the other boy’s hands; the bully, much taller, held it away from him easily. “What’s the matter, little baby? Can’t reach?”
“You gonna go and cry to your Mummy?” The other boy cackled, roughly pushing him so that he stumbled backwards.
“I want my book back!” Leo said miserably, and he was horrified when he found that his eyes were tearful. “Please, I just want…”
“It’s just a dumb fairy-tale book,” The first boy jeered. “It’s probably rubbish.”
He had flipped the book open to a random page; before the seven-year-old could say or do anything, he tore a section of pages out and threw them to the floor.
“Mama! Auntie Tina!”
Both Tina and Queenie were surprised when Abel rushed over, a displeased Elijah clutching his hand and fussing; the blonde gestured for them to come closer, face quickly turning concerned. “Abe, honey, what’s the matter?”
Abel pointed to the playground with his free hand – but he didn’t need to say anything, for Queenie quickly understood what was going on.
“Teen, it’s Leo,” She stated worriedly. “There’s…There’s two boys, and they’re picking on him-”
But Tina was already looking at the playground, heart dropping to her stomach; there were two boys shoving her younger son around, one of them clutching his book in hand, and sneering.
She made up her mind immediately and got to her feet, passing Wren to her sister. “Look after her.”
“Teen…”
But Tina had already set off, crossing the distance between the bench and the playground quickly; she didn’t know what she was going to do, but she had to do something – this was her son, just seven years old, and he didn’t deserve to be treated like this in any way. He was quiet but sweet and kind; there was an awkwardness to him, just like Newt, and while she loved that about him there was no telling how others would react.
She was close when one of the boys opened the book and started to tear out the pages.
The effect was almost immediate; without warning, the mud from the ground splattered the boy. He dropped the book, horrified, as another burst of mud hit the second boy in the face.
“What did you do?!” The first boy yelled, glaring at Leo. “What is wrong with you?!”
Leo seemed to shrink on the spot, terrified as he backed away. “I…I didn’t do anything! I didn’t even touch the mud!”
“You did something!” The second boy snapped, scrubbing at his eyes.
“I…I didn’t,” Leo whimpered. “I didn’t do anything, I was just standing here!”
“Normal people can’t move stuff without touching it!” The first boy snarled, taking a step forwards. “You’re a freak, throwing mud with no hands!”
“Freak!” The second boy echoed.
Leo burst into tears, hiding his face in his hands. Tina was by his side in seconds, pulling him towards her as she kneeled down; from the corner of her eye she saw the other two boys backing down, but she had more pressing matters in that moment. “Oh, Leo…come here. What happened?”
Her son immediately started to cling to her sleeves, relief evident on his face. “They…I was reading, and…and they took my book…they took it and started to rip it…”
Another woman appeared, tall and blonde; it was obvious that she was one of the boys’ mothers as she said, “Bill, you’re absolutely filthy! I told you not to play in the mud!”
“It’s his fault, Mum,” The first boy – Bill – muttered, looking pointedly at Leo. “He threw mud at us!”
“I didn’t!” Leo protested miserably, clutching Tina’s hand as she stood. “I didn’t even touch it! They were pushing me about!”
“He threw mud at us!”
Tina squared her shoulders and forced herself to put on a polite smile for the other boy’s mother. “I saw the whole thing; my son didn’t move, let alone throw mud at anyone – his hands are clean too.”
Bill’s mother seemed to note this as she nodded. “Yes, that does appear to be true… Bill, stop making up such wild stories – it’s absolutely ridiculous for you to have these childish imaginings at your age.”
“But…But…”
“Enough,” His mother said sternly. “We’re going home, Bill; if you can’t behave yourself then you can’t play. I suggest that you do the same, Bertie.”
The second boy – Bertie – lowered his head; underneath the mud, his cheeks had gone pink. “Yes, ma’am.”
Tina said nothing as they walked away, keeping a firm grip on her son; Leo was pressed into her side, shoulders shaking. As soon as the boys and other woman were out of earshot, she squeezed his hand and looked down at him. “Leo, honey, I’m…I’m so sorry I didn’t come over sooner.”
He quickly buried his face into her hip, fingers clutching at her leg. “Wanna go home,” He mumbled miserably; his tears wet through the fabric of her trousers. “Wanna go home, Mummy.”
“Yes,” She agreed quietly. “We’ll go home right now.”
She sent Leo towards the bench where Queenie was waiting before crouching close to the ground; she picked up the copy of Fantastic Beasts that had been thrown to the floor and examined it. There didn’t appear to be too much damage, nothing that couldn’t be fixed easily by magic – but Tina knew it was more than a book to her son: Leo idolised Newt, wanted to be just like his father when he grew up, and this book meant so much to him. To see it defiled in such a way would have made him distraught.
She recovered the torn-out pages before tucking them and the book into her coat pocket – she and Newt would have to have a conversation with their son when they got home, she decided, if only to reassure him of his accidental burst of magic.
Tina tried not to think about another young boy losing control of his magic, though on a much larger scale, and failed.
Queenie had tactfully invited Phoenix and Linnet over to the Kowalski household for supper, sensing what Tina was planning, and then offered to take Wren too for a few hours.
“Make sure he knows it ain’t his fault, Teen,” She said to her sister quietly when all of the children were out of earshot. “He’s hurting.”
The house was empty when Tina and Leo arrived home, save for the suitcase on the floor of the front room; they clambered down the steps, her son not speaking a word, and into the shed. Newt was outside with a Mooncalf that appeared to be nursing a broken leg; when he saw his wife and son he grinned at them – but he faltered when Tina’s mouth remained a tight line, worry evident on her face.
Once he had finished wrapping the Mooncalf’s leg, he made his way over to them. “Alright? How was the park?”
Leo said nothing, eyes fixed on the floor; Tina bit her lip and gently urged him forwards. “Why don’t you go and play with Ralph, Leo? He’ll be happy to see you.”
He was silent as he made his way over to the Graphorn enclosure, both parents watching him; Newt turned to his wife and frowned. “What’s wrong? I’ve never seen him so…so quiet down here.”
“There was an incident at the park,” Tina told him softly, eyes still fixed on their son. “Two boys, they…I looked away for a minute, Newt, because Wren was fussing and then Abel came over and…and there were two boys shoving him.” Her shoulders sank visibly. “They had his book and wouldn’t give it back; I went straight over there but they tore out some pages and it happened so fast… He had an accidental burst of magic and splattered the boys in mud.”
“Oh. Oh, I see.”
“I should have been keeping a closer eye on him,” She sighed, shaking her head to herself. “I should have noticed sooner and stopped it.”
His hand was gentle on her arm, face understanding. “Don’t, Tina; you did what you could. You can’t watch all four of them at once, unfortunately – I’ve learnt that the hard way.”
“I’m worried about him,” She admitted. “I know that accidental magic happens with children, especially when they’re as young as Leo, but…but something’s not right.”
“We’ll have to talk to him about it,” Newt agreed quietly, casting his eyes at their son; Leo was sitting by the Graphorn’s habitat, miserable even as Ralph – his favourite Graphorn, born a year ago – tried to play with him.
He wasn’t an expert in childcare by any means, but even he knew that something was certainly very wrong.
They exited the case shortly afterwards; Newt set about preparing some supper whilst Tina examined their son. He was sporting a few grazes and scrapes from being shoved, and he winced when she touched them.
“Alright,” She soothed, sitting him on the kitchen counter; she wasn’t the best at healing spells by any means, but something this minor was easy enough – there was no point in wasting Dittany on it really. “I’ll clean you up and it won’t hurt as much.”
Leo said nothing as she wet a rag and wiped the mixture of dirt and dried blood from his knees and hands, only occasionally pulling a face of discomfort. When this was done, Tina set the rag aside, washed her hands, and reached for her wand on the worktop.
She brought it to the palm of his left hand – and then he recoiled, jerking away as if she had burnt him.
“No,” He cried, backing away from her. “No, no, no…”
Newt had crossed the kitchen in just a few strides, face alive with concern. “Leo, it’s alright-”
“No magic,” Leo whimpered, trying to get away from them both. “It’s bad, no magic, please, Mummy-”
“There’s nothing wrong with magic at all,” Tina told him, trying to put her hands on his shoulders; he shrunk away from her touch. “Leo, you know there’s absolutely nothing wrong with magic; we use magic every day.”
Leo choked, the words stuck in his throat. “Magic is bad,” He insisted tearfully. “It hurts people – I hurt those boys, I’m bad, I don’t wanna be bad-”
“You’re not bad,” Newt interrupted. “You just lost control of your magic for a moment; everyone does when they’re young. I certainly did, your Mummy did, Auntie Queenie did…”
“I’m a freak,” Leo sobbed, tears streaming down his face. “I’m a freak and not normal and I don’t wanna be magical!”
Before he could continue, Tina had taken him into her arms and pulled him close to her; he didn’t try to resist this time, clutching at her as he cried. Newt looked pained as he watched, reaching to rub at their son’s back comfortingly.
“You’re not a freak,” She said fiercely, giving him a squeeze. “Don’t ever think like that, Leo Scamander, never. Those boys at the playground…they were wrong and they’re cowards for bullying you.”
“But…But…”
“There’s nothing wrong with being magical, Leo,” Newt added in agreement. “You were born with it – it’s just as much a part of who you are as…as…as your hair, as breathing. There’s nothing bad about magic – nothing.”
He found himself absent-mindedly thinking about Credence; he had been beaten and forced to repress his magic, to believe that he was abnormal and a freak too. He didn’t want the seeds of doubt to be planted in his son’s mind – in any of his children’s minds, for that matter – when he and his wife both knew first-hand what could happen.
“But not everyone’s magic,” Leo stated, giving a hiccup. “Uncle Jacob isn’t magic – is that wrong?”
“Your Uncle Jacob is a No-Maj-”
“Muggle,” Newt corrected without thinking.
Tina sent him a pointed look that clearly said that this was not the time. “He’s a muggle, and that’s fine too; some people are magical and some aren’t. There’s nothing wrong with either of those things, I promise.”
Leo seemed to be considering this, still clutching his mother like a lifeline. “So…so is it like how Phoenix has dark hair but me and Lin don’t?”
“Sort of,” Newt allowed with a nod. “Or another example, I suppose, would be cooking; your Auntie Queenie is a marvellous cook, and your mother is-”
Tina frowned. “I’m what?”
“Oh, well,” He hesitated, trying to decide how best to phrase it without offending his wife. “You’re a decent cook too, love, but Queenie has perhaps more of an…an affinity for it, I’d say.”
She huffed but didn’t argue. “We’re getting off-topic here,” She muttered. “Leo, I don’t want you feeling like you’re wrong just for being magical; you were born magical, and nothing can change that. I wouldn’t want you to change – no one would, because we all love you just as you are.”
He gave a sniff but was no longer crying. “A-Alright…” His eyes were nervous as he looked up at his father, bottom lip quivering. “They ripped up your book, Daddy. I’m sorry, I tried to get it back but…but…”
“Don’t worry about that,” Newt assured him gently. “I’m sure we can easily fix it somehow – and if not, we can just get a new copy, no problem.”
“It was your book,” Leo said unhappily, clearly still upset. “They ripped your book, Daddy.”
“We know you love that book,” Tina agreed understandingly. “I love it too, you know…it means a lot to me.”
Newt knew the meaning behind that without asking; after all, it had been writing that book that had led him to travelling, and then wanting to release Frank in Arizona – and then they had met in New York, quite by accident, and it had been quite a few days to say the least. It had been the promise of giving her a copy of his book that had given him an excuse to go back to New York to see her, though inside they both knew it was more than about the book. He could remember the tearful joy on her face when the first edition after they had married was published, when she had seen the words proclaiming her as “his wife Porpentina” on the page.
The book carried so much more meaning than just being a magical creature guide, at least to them.
“I’ll get it cleaned and fixed for you,” Tina promised, wiping away the remaining tears from his cheeks; she waited until he nodded before continuing. “Now, will you let me take care of your cuts and grazes? It’ll take just a minute.”
Leo nodded again, sitting back on the counter once more; this time when his mother traced her wand over his skin he didn’t flinch, instead watching somewhat curiously as his injuries faded. He said nothing else as his father went to finish supper or as his mother worked, just watching and studying.
When Tina had finished, her son looked up at her; the corner of his lips twitched, as if he was considering smiling. “Mummy?” He murmured, running a hand over where the graze on his knee had been just moments earlier. “Magic…Magic isn’t really bad, is it? You made me feel better with it.”
“That’s right,” She affirmed, managing the smallest of smiles.
Leo smiled back. “Alright. Thank you, Mummy; I love you.”
“Yes, and I love you too,” Tina agreed fondly, acquiescing when he held out his arms for another hug. “If…If you ever feel like this again at all, then come and talk to me about it, Leo, or talk to your father…please don’t hold it in.”
It was a sentiment she and Newt had shared over the years: they were not going to let any of their children suffer like Credence had, not going to let anything hurt them so bad that their children developed such a dark force. Even so, they couldn’t protect their children from everything – it was inevitable that someday their children would get hurt in some way, it was a fact of life, and there would be nothing they could do about it.
But not now, Tina vowed to herself; for now, while the children were still young, she and Newt could protect them to the best of their abilities – and nothing was about to change that.
Alright, so there’s just one more chapter to go! :o That is, of course, going to be about Wren, so…that should be rather interesting, I think!
21 - Turning points in their life (SPOILERS FOR FUTURE FICS AHEAD)
Some of these got long and semi-romantic, so…sorry?
Phoenix - graduating Hogwarts and going on to become an Auror; he matured somewhat during training to be an Auror, his temper calming. He changed completely the day his son, Bram, was born because he knew that he had to set an example.
Linnet - in her first DADA class at Hogwarts, Linnet chose to sit with a quiet boy named Michael Wood; they became best friends for the entirety of their education. She knew he had a crush on her but thought nothing of it - until years later when she was taken hostage while on an Auror mission. She was tortured and abused for weeks before being rescued - and she found that she missed her best friend, wished she could see his face again. When she was rescued, Michael took her in to help her heal (both mentally and physically) because he was a trained Healer; he was there when she had nightmares, there when she could barely stand. He was what anchored her.(Years later, they ended up married)
Leo - while travelling to examine creatures in Nigeria, he was injured by a Runespoor and rescued by a tribe. While recovering, he met a young African witch named Diata (African for lion); she was trained in healing/medicines and spoke better English than the other healers in her tribe. She also had knowledge on several different creatures that Leo wanted to find, and so she agreed to help him find them. As they travelled and the weeks turned to months, they started to fall for each other. Diata returned to England with him, and they had a son together - Rolf.(They had previously agreed on having no children because of the discrimination they knew a mixed-race child would receive - Rolf was a surprise but a surprise they grew to love dearly)
Wren - Wren didn’t think she would marry and have kids, mostly because being a Legilimens meant a) hearing the worst of everyone, including men, and b) the risk of passing it on - she felt that no child deserve that. But then whilst visiting her cousins in America, she met a young No-Maj/muggle called Jack; he was the same age as her, slightly awkward, but he had a nice smile. She sensed that he was…different, that he was genuine. They ended up falling in love and marrying years later; because of Rappaport’s Law still being in place, they settled in England (it was easier for her to be a Dragonologist there too). It took a few years, but Wren took the plunge and they had a daughter together. Meeting that No-Maj/Muggle boy changed her plans in life, and not necessarily for the worst.
(there’s going to be a much longer headcanon post for the Wren thing which goes into detail about every little thing)
Number 8 for all the Newtina kids maybe? Love your headcanons!!
(you won’t love these ones I’m afraid)
8. Bad memories/experiences
Phoenix - during the war, he was frightened because he was old enough to know about Grindelwald, Hitler, and how dangerous the world was. He had nightmares about it, about what could happen.When Linnet was taken hostage; he went out with every search team he could, despite being a new father, and returned home late every night distraught. He cried in the privacy of his home, away from judging eyes.
Linnet - (ANSWERED IN THIS POST) (Going to add: when she was taken hostage while on an Auror mission. She was tortured and abused for weeks before being rescued)
Leo - I’m writing about this for “Protect Them” but an accidental burst of magic at a muggle playground when two boys were bullying him; he was scared and thought he was a “freak”. During his first week at school, a bully snapped his glasses - it was a common occurence, unfortunately.
Wren - At school, she could hear all of the bad things and thoughts…the very worst of people. Rumors spread about her after a date in Hogsmeade gone wrong (the boy tried to grope her in the corner of the Three Broomsticks, she shoved him away - he was embarrassed and angered, and so he lied to his friends: “she’s easy”. Unsurprisingly, boys are believed over girls) She wanted it all to stop, she was so sick of it, and she wanted to be normal; her behaviour became risk-taking…people thought she was easy, so she decided to live up to that image. She was very unhappy. When she returned home in the summer, feeling hopeless, Auntie Queenie took notice - safe to say, Wren recieved a lot of support from her parents and family. It wasn’t an easy road but she was a survivor.
