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

Chapter Eighteen

Tina's footsteps echoed down the hall, stacks of paper in her hands and a briefcase swinging on her left side. She was heading to Theseus' office to overview reports sent in by MACUSA from the last two weeks. The pair was working together to make connections to American and British disturbances to link anything to Grindelwald. Since the sighting of the obscurial, everything had been quiet. Almost too quiet.

Tina knocked on Theseus' office door three times before it swung open, Theseus beckoning her to come in before the door shut behind her. "Anything?" He asked as Tina dropped the stack on his desk. She shrugged, evidently disappointed.

"Nothing of use. Just a lot of no-majs being exposed to magic as usual. I don't know why we bother at this point. No-majs here fare just fine if they know," Tina sighed. Theseus cast a spell that sent a chair flying toward Tina, and she sat in it gratefully. "Thanks." She leaned on her elbows and put her face in her hands. "We've had zero leads since June. It's the middle of July. He's either planning something big or laying low until we least expect it."

"Both. Grindelwald wants his actions to be unexpected. He expects us to put our guard down, which is why we need to remain diligent. Even if it's difficult," Theseus explained, and Tina agreed. He began shuffling through the stack of papers, marking most of them with a singular line before casting them aside in a separate pile. Tina was right. All of the reports were recounts of muggle interactions. Tina followed his actions, taking half of the stack and beginning to sift through them. This went on for some time, both of them beginning to cramp in their hands and their eyes going blurry from reading for so long.

A knock came from Theseus' door, causing both of them to jump and papers to fly around the desk. Tina hastily grabbed them from the air, placing them back on the desk before Theseus called in his visitor.

An auror approached them, walking slowly. He seemed surprised to see Tina, because his eyes widened in remembrance before he avoided her completely and looked straight ahead at Theseus. "Charles! To what do I owe this pleasure?" He stood up and clapped Charles on the back, the man flinching as he did so. "Oh, come on. Where's your energy?"

"S-Sorry... I'm just feeling a bit off today," Charles said, his arms pinned to his side. Tina observed them carefully. Most aurors were straightforward and serious, Charles was amongst the most serious. He looked extremely nervous and unsure of himself. "There's, um, someone waiting for you in the lobby. Another ministry worker. I forgot their name." His gaze shifted to Tina, and he looked pained. "You too Miss Goldstein- Tina. You too."

She frowned, grabbing a stack of papers in her hand. "Okay... well, Theseus and I need to finish some paperwork before heading down. Could you take these to the minister?" Tina held out the stack of papers. Charles took them shakily and nodded. Both Tina and Theseus were looking at him worriedly now. Charles ducked his head and began to walk out the door. "Charles," Tina called out, not moving from her seat. "Take care," she said, her voice genuinely caring. He looked pained again before turning straight ahead and walking out the door, closing it softly behind him. Tina watched as Theseus sat back in his chair. "That was odd. He's never acted that way before."

"I know," Theseus said, equally puzzled. "Hm. Must be sick or something. But even then..." He shook his head and resumed the paperwork. In fifteen minutes, they were finished, and Theseus wrapped the papers in string and sent a pixie to deliver them to the minister. He held the door open for Tina, and she took long strides down the hallway, pausing for him to catch up to her. Her briefcase was in her hands again, and it crashed into another woman's as she walked.

"Oh! Sorry!" Tina apologized, but the woman sneered at her before readjusting their coat. Tina frowned and continued walking. "Something's off today," She muttered under her breath to Theseus. "Everyone is acting strange. Is it a full moon?"