The Airport

Tina sighed as she finished going through the airport security. Traveling always stressed her out, but soon she would be heading home to Queenie. It had been raining non-stop in London, a light drizzle, for the last three days and she was sick of it. All she wanted to do was curl up in her bed at home with a mug of hot chocolate and a book in her lap. The snow in New York was better than rain in London any day.

Checking her ticket again to see which terminal she had to wait at, Tina tripped slightly as someone knocked into her shoulder: a tall man with floppy brown hair and freckles looked back apologetically.

"So sorry," He muttered softly in a British accent and Tina nodded in reply, hardly paying attention. She led her suitcase across the ugly carpet to sit in an uncomfortable chair and she noticed the brown-haired man from before was now sitting across from her. A window behind him showed a large plane, a runway, and grass.

Tina tucked her hair behind her ears and she watched as a few people walked past her; she smiled at the few wizards and witches strolling by who weren't very skilled at dressing as muggles. She wondered why it was only in England where magical folk seemed to have this problem.

Tina would have preferred taking a Portkey instead of a plane, but there had been no more left at the Ministry of Magic and nobody was allowed to Apparate or Disapparate from country to country according to the law. Pulling out her phone, Tina put in her earbuds to listen to music, but before she could turn it on, she noticed the man in front of her leaning down to whisper to his carry-on case. Tina frowned; the man noticed she was giving him an odd look.

He smiled awkwardly and Tina saw worry crossing his expression. He was glancing hurriedly around as if he had lost something. Shaking her head slightly, she tried to focus on her phone again, but she couldn't help but continue watching what the man was doing as he set down his case and looked under his chair. Tina hesitantly took out her earbuds and decided to ask him a question.

"Are you looking for something?"

"Um yes- I mean, no." He said, glancing at Tina warily; she knew he was a wizard now because we was wearing a bright blue trench coat and being magical would explain why he had been whispering to his battered suitcase unless he was just a crazy No-Maj.

Out of the corner of her eye, Tina saw movement under one of the airport waiting chairs and a flash of metal disappear. She turned to gaze suspiciously at the man, but he was already off and running. Sensing trouble, Tina pulled out her wand, hiding it in her coat as she stood to follow.

The airport had become crowded because everyone was trying to arrive home in time for the holidays. Tina saw a small, dark creature hiding under another row of seats, dodging in between the legs of people; she instinctively leaned down to catch it at the end of the row, only to realize that is was extremely fast and that it had already disappeared. Standing up, she knocked into the same man from before and they both fell to the ground.

"I'm so sorry," Tina exclaimed, eyes wide open She watched as he jumped up and pulled out his wand; Tina jolted up too and looked at him in surprise.

"Mercy Lewis, what are you thinking? You can't use magic in here!" She whispered. A No-Maj family nearby was looking at them oddly, confused by the pair. Tina grabbed the man's arm and led him away to somewhere more secluded, hidden by a large column. People continued to walk past them, searching for places to sit.

"Who are you, and what is that...creature running around?"

"Newt Scamander, now if you don't mind, I have a Niffler to catch," Newt replied impatiently, looking over Tina's shoulder. He didn't wait for her to reply before he slipped out of her grip and dashed away. His case, which had remained held in his hands as he searched, now sat at Tina's feet and she looked at it curiously, wondering what on earth this wizard could stuff into his carry-on.

Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw a little creature coming closer, so she slowly turned and leaned down. The so-called Niffler was reaching for her necklace as she watched it come close enough to take it. Tina hurriedly grabbed the Niffler before it could tear off her necklace and she yelled across the room.

"Mr. Scamander!"

The man turned, halfway across the room, looking flustered but relieved when he saw that Tina had caught his creature. He dashed forward and took the platypus-like animal out of her arms and he began to tickle it. Shiny objects fell onto the floor at their feet; Tina made sure that nobody could see what was happening.

"When will you learn not to take things that don't belong to you?" Newt Scamander scolded and he rushed to release the Niffler back into the case. He sighed and closed the suitcase before standing straight again.

Tina suddenly realized how handsome he was and she saw that they were about the same height. She tucked her hair behind her ears as she shook his outstretched hand.

"Thank you for catching my Niffler; he can be a pest sometimes. I'm sorry if I seemed rude earlier. What's your name?"

"Tina Goldstein," Tina replied.

"Nice to meet you. You're from America?"

"New York. I work for MACUSA," Tina answered curtly as they proceeded to their luggage and former seats.

"Oh, I'm going to New York too. Are you...an Auror?" Newt guessed as he settled across from Tina again. His gaze wandered away from her at times, as if he were afraid to make eye contact for too long.

"Yes, I am. How did you know?"

"You're observable," he replied simply and then continued after a pause, "What brought you to London?"

"Work," Tina answered vaguely; implying that she wasn't allowed to say, "but I want to know why you were going to use magic in front of the No-Majs."

"The what?"

"Non-magic people," Tina said in a confused tone, "Oh, right, you call them Muggles," she remembered. Tina waited for Newt to answer as she tapped her fingers against the armrest of her chair, but he didn't. He simply adjusted the latch on his case and continued to avoid her gaze.

"Isn't it against the Ministry of Magic's Statute of Secrecy to use magic in front of No-Majs?" Tina asked, feeling annoyed.

"Yes, Miss Goldstein; it is," Newt replied in an equally annoyed tone. Tina folded her arms and faced him, but she didn't say anything. He continued to watch No-Majs walk past, surveying them curiously. This man confused, annoyed, and fascinated Tina all at the same time.

"What else do you have in your case?"

Newt glanced warily from his suitcase to her before answering.

"Just the- just the Niffler. I enlarged the case inside so he can have enough room," He muttered, but Tina knew he was lying. Before she could say anything else about his case, it was time to board the plane.

"Thank you again. It was nice to meet you," Newt stated hastily.

Tina watched him hurry away, but she had a feeling that this wouldn't be the last time they would see each other as she followed him to board the plane.