Thorns and Roses ❦ Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them ❦ Newtina

Chapter One

Brisk autumn air blew the dried leaves around, creating a slight scratching noise as the dead plants dragged themselves across the pavement. Tina watched as one took its course, skidding four feet away from her before stopping. She smiled to herself, proud that she could still perform wandless magic. Tina knew she was skilled, it was a given since she was an Auror, but often doubted herself. She took a deep breath of the smoke-scented air and exhaled loudly her chest burning. She wrapped her arms around herself tighter to block out the cold that even her largest grey coat couldn't shield her from. Tina fiddled with a rock, bouncing it up and down, before noticing something.

An image floated in the lovely, liquid depths of her iris, the reflection of a man in a blue overcoat with the collar halfway turned up, wearing a gray and yellow scarf, silhouetted against the clear glass window of the shop he passed. A flash of recognition conspicuously appeared on her face, and all it took was for her chocolate brown eyes to land on the ginger mess that was Newt's hair for her to realize it was him.

"Newt..." Tina whispered quietly, watching him walk briskly down the leaf-riddled street. Her hand absentmindedly reached toward the strand of hair he had once touched. "You're here."

He didn't notice her, but instead hurried along the street. His case was in hand, held tightly. Tina watched gleefully as he strolled, too overcome with happiness that he was back to feel or think anything else. The sound of heels hitting the ground seemed to echo throughout the city as she stood and walked toward him. Newt turned down an alleyway, struggling to put his case in both hands as he did so. Tina continued following him. It was a strange parallel to how they'd first met, although she now knew Newt wasn't a mysterious man who'd inevitably cause mayhem. She turned the corner promptly, only to find Newt struggling with his case in a back corner. "Newt?" She said tentatively, only taking a few steps closer. The niffler had gotten out again, and Newt was attempting to put him back in the case before any further disorder occurred. The creature let out a tiny squeak as it saw her, registering that she was someone he knew.

"Tina." Newt's face showed signs of recognition and relief. Tina grew hopeful, though she didn't know for what, at the look. "I'm so glad you're here. I apologize for the improper greeting, but would you help me put the little bugger away? He's managed to get out again."

"Oh... of course," Tina answered, kneeling down and helping Newt get a steady grip on the squirming niffler. He's managed to obtain a few jewels, Tina noted when her eyes landed on the small pile of sparkling objects that glimmered underneath him. Newt shook him softly, and a final two pieces of gold fell out. The niffler looked ashamedly at Newt, although he was more put out about losing his precious shiny things than anything else. Tina held the case open and shut it tightly as Newt returned the niffler to the case. They stood up in unison, Newt wiping his hands together and Tina holding the case. "You let that niffler thing out again? Didn't you learn not to last time?"

"Tina," Newt repeated, looking at her everywhere but her eyes. Tina stared back at him and looked, really looked. It had been nearly a year since they'd last seen each other, so there were some significant changes. Tina noted that he looked much older than he had the last time he'd visited. She wondered if it was because of the stress from writing and publishing his book, or something else entirely. His hair had grown longer and wilder, if that was possible. But what Tina noticed the most was how impeccably tired he appeared.

"Why're you here?" She asked. It wasn't exactly what she was aiming for, as it was straightforward and must've seemed like she didn't want him around. Nonetheless, the question was already asked; there was nothing she could do about it.

"I came to talk about my manuscript, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them," Newt explained to her. He didn't understand why she looked so taken aback.