Searching For A Bitter Song ❦ Newtina

Searching For A Bitter Song

"Thank you for letting me stay with you," Tina said, stepping up the red, velvet staircase. "Well, not with you, but, here. At your parent's estate."

"It was no problem, my pleasure. I'm always happy to see you, Tina. Even if it is just professionally," Newt noted with uncanny disappointment. "Perhaps one day we can travel together, as friends."

Tina flushed at Newt's sentiment. Trying to hide it, and her internal monologue, she turned to face a window and look outside at the wonderful garden, where Newt's mother was strolling and looking at flowers. Decorated in green brushes and colours not even the rainbow appeared to have, the Scamanders had created a lavish conservatory. Vines hung down from a fountain in the middle of the garden, mystifying water creating a small rainbow as it flowed down the stature. "Yes," Tina replied, trying to keep her voice steady. "Traveling together as friends would be marvelous."

"Perhaps, once Grindelwald has been captured. For good," Newt said, remembering the news of the dark wizard escaping only a few weeks beforehand. He was surprised Tina had still made the trip out to London, as unsafe as it was for an auror- especially one as directly involved in his original capture as she was- to travel, no wonder across seas, across countries, continents. Newt admired her bravery. "May I show you to your room?" Newt asked.

Tina smiled at him then. "Yes, I suppose that would be grand."

+

It was night, and Tina had finally settled down to rest. Late as it was, she held her copy of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, fully prepared to devour the entire book before sunrise when she heard two voices having what seemed to be an argument in the room next to hers. Against her better judgement, Tina set the book on the nearby dresser and opened the door, leaning her head out to hear better.

"Newt, you can't possibly have convinced yourself that it's permissible she stay here. We hardly know the girl, and yet you're fretting about and allowing her to infiltrate our home like some... some creature from your case! Which, by the way, Mother wants to have a conversation with you about. It's time you come home and get a real job. A career in something as profound as animals won't suffice you much longer."

Tina felt a pang in her chest at Theseus' words. He'd made it quite clear her presence was not as amiable to him as it was to Newt's, and yet, she was still sleeping in the guest room two doors away. Not for long, she thought miserably. Theseus would surely boot her now that Newt had gone and botched things up. Perhaps Leta had said something to him... No, that's silly. Leta was perfectly kind to me.

"You're just going to avoid my gaze as always? Just like when we were kids, you'd always get into trouble and I'd receive the short end of the stick," Theseus spat, and Tina could hear him pacing, the wooden floor creaking as he did so. She imagined he was embraced in thought. "Think of what the papers would stay if they found out an American ex-felon was residing in our household... the scandal, and with my engagement..." Theseus trailed off. Tina stood in the doorway, holding her breath and praying that the floor beneath her feet wouldn't creak and alert the two brothers of her presence. "Wait... I understand now. You must be using her as some sort of vengeance against me because Leta decided to marry me. This is why you came home. To win her back. Are you here to win her back?"

After hearing Newt say "yes," Tina closed the door.

+

"Yes, of course, Theseus, go down that road of rhetoric because you know whatever I felt for Leta has long-since burnt out. I brought Tina here because she needed a place to stay, not to fuel your... whatever it is you've had against me for years," Newt said, his eyes shining with anger. His brother looked down at him then, a scoff frozen on his face. Neither of them spoke. In the distance, Newt could swear he heard something crash into a wall, but he couldn't be certain. His primary focus was on what was happening in front of him.

"You... you wonder why I have a distaste for you. You want to know why?" Newt nodded, his jaw set. "It's because you... are an embarrassment. While father and I were out fighting dark wizards and witches, you were breaking laws and setting creatures loose in a foreign country. You became exactly what people in my career field loathe... a criminal. It was absolutely humiliating to go back to the Ministry after news of your escapade broke. I was a joke in the office, never to be taken seriously again until I was promoted to top auror." Theseus strode toward Newt. "I could have your lover gone in an instant."

Newt gasped at his brother's proclamation. "You wouldn't." The elder Scamander shrugged. "Theseus, do not harm her for what you wrongfully think caused my actions. Do not hurt her." A smile spread on Theseus' face, then a scowl.

"Then get rid of her. For good. We don't want foreign scum on our property anyway. Father would be so disappointed in you."

Theseus left then, leaving Newt alone with his thoughts.

+

Tina left the next day, before breakfast. She'd written a note and left it on the desk of the guest bedroom, confusing all but Newt and Theseus. Newt threw a fit, accusing Theseus of harassing her and forcing her to leave against her will. Theseus, of course, knew nothing of why she left, suggesting that she'd had something come up with MACUSA or wasn't supposed to be in London in the first place. Either way, he was glad she was gone.

Tina never spoke to Newt after the incident, leaving for New York and busying herself in her work until she met a new man, much like Newt but so much unlike him at the same time. They fell in love, and she married, while Newt carried on with his studies and book publications. He tried communicating with her, but his letters were never delivered. He'd assumed Theseus had something to do with that.

They never stopped loving each other, even as time grew old, much as they did. They died without knowing how the other felt. It was a sad death, though both were relieved to be released from the life of longing they'd lived on for decades.

+

Mr. Scamander,

My apologies for leaving so suddenly. I find that I can no longer stay here. I will be going back to New York to update MACUSA on our case. I'm sorry for intruding on your family. I wish you and Leta well.

Tina