Return to New York

Fighting the Ban

Dear Tina,

Theseus finally managed to arrange a meeting for me. It will be taking place tomorrow morning. We can only hope we're successful so I can return to New York. I don't know what reason they have for keeping me in the country. I still haven't decided if I want to tell them my real reasons for needing to leave the country because I'm hesitant to drag you into this and my brother will be there. He doesn't know about you and I'm not quite ready to tell him.

I got a new scar today, unfortunately. My Kelpie bit my arm while I was trying to feed him. It was a stupid accident, one that shouldn't have happened. The problem is, I can't concentrate on anything anymore. I miss you too much.

I've been so afraid that the reason you're not writing is that something has happened to you and that you're in some sort of trouble but today I came up with another possibility and it scares me more than all the others. I realized that you might have decided you didn't love me anymore and didn't want to marry me. I'm so afraid that you might have moved on and my only hope is that, if you did, you would have told me about it.

I think I'm going to have to go to bed soon. I'd like to write a longer letter but I'm falling asleep at my desk. I didn't sleep well last night. I had another nightmare about you.

I'll tell you how the meeting goes tomorrow.

I love you, Tina.

Love,
Newt

____

Newt woke up late the next morning, despite having gone to bed early the night before. He had slept badly once again. It had been a long time since he had gotten a good night's sleep. After clumsily feeding his creatures, he had a quick breakfast and left for the Ministry. Despite his late start, he managed to reach it early. Theseus was waiting for him.

"Ah, Newt," he greeted. "You made it."

Newt nodded and offered his brother a weak smile.

"You look exhausted," Theseus said with a frown.

"I don't sleep well anymore."

"Why? Because of the ban?"

Newt nodded and his brother gave him a curious glance.

"Newt, I don't see why this is affecting you this much," Theseus said. "I understand that you love to travel and that you resent being kept in one place but that's nothing to lose sleep over."

"I need to be able to travel, Theseus. Please don't ask me to tell you why," Newt mumbled.

Theseus sighed. "Come this way."

Newt followed his brother through the halls of the Ministry. They reached a black door and Theseus led him inside. Three men were waiting at a round table with a round pool of liquid in the center. Newt hesitantly took a seat across from them and Theseus joined them, taking a seat between two of the men. Travers was the first to speak.

"Hearing commences," he began. "You want an end to the ban on you traveling internationally. Why?"

Newt shifted nervously. "Because I need to be able to leave the country. I have places I need to be."

"And would I be correct in suspecting you intend to return to New York?" Spielman asked.

"I -- Uh -- Yes," Newt replied, blushing slightly.

Guzman, the only American in the room, was looking at him curiously.

"And what reason do you have for returning to New York?" he asked. "As I understand, you have already been back three times since your first visit when you were involved in an incident that nearly exposed the wizarding world in America."

"I was the one responsible for Obliviating the city," Newt reminded them.

"That is true," Guzman replied. "But why do you need to return to New York?"

Newt had to fight to keep the blush from rising to his cheeks. "I-- I made a promise to a friend of mine that I would bring her a copy of my book," he admitted.

"You could always send the book through the mail," Spielman pointed out.

"I-it's not that s-simple," Newt stammered.

There was a moment's silence before Travers spoke again. 

"The Ministry will consider lifting your ban on international travels if you tell us why you were in New York at the beginning of last December," he declared.

Newt looked up at them suddenly. "I can't tell you that," he said abruptly.

"And why not?" Guzman said.

Newt glanced at him. He was the real reason he couldn't tell them. He wasn't about to admit he had gone to New York on his way to Arizona to release a Thunderbird, an action he was sure would be considered illegal in the United States.

"It's personal," Newt said. "And it's complicated," he added, even though it had nothing to do with his first statement.

The three men looked at him skeptically but Theseus was watching him with a look of mild curiosity mixed with concern.

"Tell me, Scamander," Travers started. "Did Dumbledore send you to New York?"

Newt started. "No, of course not," he said a little too quickly. "What reason would he have for sending me there?"

"Perhaps to collect information on Grindelwald's whereabouts or to locate the Obscurial."

"No, he didn't," Newt said. It was only half a lie. "He never asked me to anything."

"Then why were you in New York?" Spielman asked.

"I've already told you I can't tell you," Newt said, quickly getting to his feet.

Travers glared at him. "Very well then, travel documentation denied."

A/N: This one was kinda hard to write because I didn't want to copy the scene from the movie, that comes later, but I also wasn't sure how much Newt would reveal. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed. Please vote and comment.

I need to do English now or my mom will kill me.

Have a good day!

Bye!

Written January 22, 2019.