Crescendo: A Fantastic Beasts Newtina Fanfiction

Chapter 20

       "Ilvermorny is definitely not the best wizarding school!" a voice protested.

      Tina emerged from the Erumpent environment, and found that, once again, Newt and Queenie were bickering light-heartedly about whose school was the best. Newt was sitting on a bench in front of his shed, preparing a bucket of feed while Queenie was leaning against the shed's doorway.

       "Of course Ilvermorny is the best wizarding school. Right, Jacob?" Queenie glared at Jacob as though daring him to disagree. 

       Looking extremely nervous, Jacob, who was standing off to the side, took a step back and cleared his throat. "I think I'll stay out of this one..."

       "I think you meant to say that Hogwarts, is the best wizarding school," Newt said, leaning over to grab some more feed. 

       Tina noted unhelpfully that he had taken off his jacket and coat, thus revealing his waistcoat and ivory-white undershirt, which had the sleeves rolled up. The muscles on his forearms danced as his arm moved. She flushed, embarrassed, and inwardly slapped herself as she dragged her gaze away. 

       "That's where you'll find yourself wrong, Mr. Scamander," she said. Tina's eyes widened as she took in what she had just said. Mercy Lewis, Tina! Don't. Just shut up. Don't try to be Queenie, you know you can't flirt. Oh God, why am I trying to flirt again?!

       A voice in the back of her head reminded her, because you love him. Right. 

       Newt looked up, and he blushed ever so slightly. "Well, Miss Goldstein," he mumbled slowly, "you may be an Auror and all, but I think that this area might just be outside your range of expertise, because clearly, Hogwarts is the superior school." He grinned at her.

       Tina felt as though her legs had suddenly turned to jelly, and the room suddenly felt like someone who was overly enthusiastic had just cranked up the thermostat to a couple hundred degrees above room temperature. The fact that Queenie had been reduced to giggles did not help much, either.  Dragging her gaze away from his green eyes, she turned her blushing face away to look at Queenie.

       Trying to keep her tone cool, she said, "Newt's talking nonsense. Ilvermorny is the best wizarding school, right Queenie?"

       "Of course!" her sister exclaimed, her giggles now having subsided. "We'll just have to show 'em, won't we, Teen?"

       It took a few seconds for Tina to realize what Queenie was getting at. Oh, no. Not the school song, please, anything but the Ilvermorny school song.  It wouldn't be a problem for Queenie, as she had a gorgeous voice, but Tina, on other hand, thought that her singing sounded rather like a chicken being strangled by a poorly coordinated person. 

       Queenie, apparently having read her thoughts, said encouragingly, "Oh come on, Teen! You're not bad at all. Just this once? Please?"

       Newt and Jacob were watching this exchange curiously. She felt it would be unsporting say no, so instead Tina heaved a reluctant sigh. "Fine."

       As soon as the word came out of her mouth, Tina regretted it immediately. She was going to have to sing. In front of Newt. Queenie clicked her heel on the floor twice to signal the beginning of the song, and Tina wanted nothing more than to run into the shed and never come out again. Gathering herself, she closed her eyes determinedly as began to sing a duet with Queenie.

       "Ca-caw, ca-caw! Brrr-brrr!" they started, with Tina's voice shaking slightly. However, when she found that no one was laughing, she opened her eyes hesitantly and clasped her hands together instead.