Fantastic Beasts Stories

Tina & Newt: The Tables Have Turned

December 1927

Tina, Jacob, and Newt walked silently towards the boat that would finally take the two Americans home; its great mass intimidated the Auror but felt like a refuge for the baker. The trio stopped a ways away from the vessel, and Jacob hugged Newt goodbye, giving him some solo time with Tina.

The two watched Jacob board the boat before turning to face each other, the tense awkwardness almost palpable.

“Newt—” she started, but he said, “Tina—” at the same time. The two blushed and their eyes skittered around each other.

Struggling to formulate complete sentences and coherent thoughts, they both gave up, Tina with a soft sigh.

“I’ll write—every week? If I can,” she started after a few moments.

“Y-yes, that would be—that would be wonderful,” Newt replied, a smile creeping onto his lips.

They stared into each other’s eyes, seemingly getting lost for a few seconds before he abruptly broke eye contact, digging around in his pocket for something.

“I almost forgot,” he explained with a slight stutter, and Tina watched him pull out a book with a blue, black, and silver cover. “My book.” He nervously handed it to her, and she took it, cracking open the book to the first page apprehensively. “It’s the second edition. It won’t be released for a while yet, but I’d like you to have it.”

Tina smiled, biting her lip as she looked through the book. She impulsively skipped to the end, skimming the section on Zouwus.

“It’s beautiful,” she commented pensively, before looking up at Newt. “Have you named her?”

“Who?” he asked, confused.

“The Zouwu we found in Paris. Did you name her yet?” she clarified.

“O-oh, no, not yet. I seem to be, um, having some difficulty coming up with a name. It’s a tricky business.”

“Certainly,” Tina agreed with a small smirk. “Well, thank you.” She hugged the book to her chest.

“It’s nothing. I simply wanted to give it to you in person, seeing as I wasn’t able to last time,” he explained.

The horn of the boat sounded and they both looked over at the construct that would separate them for a few moments.

“Well, um, the tables seem to have turned,” Tina remarked, causing Newt to look back at her.

She realized that there were tears in his eyes, which made some form in hers.

“I suppose,” he conceded.

“Maybe I could come to visit you,” she suggested with a smile. “Just no more travel bans, alright?”

“Of course.”

Tina swallowed an uncomfortable lump in her throat and pursed her lips.

“Or false engagements. Or escaped creatures,” she continued, though with less heart than before.

Newt let out something between a sigh and a laugh. “I’ll try.”

“That’s all I can ask,” she said, an obvious waver in her voice.

She met his eyes and a tear welled up and spilled over, rolling down his cheek. Tina impulsively wiped the tear away and his breath hitched.

“We’ll see each other again,” she whispered comfortingly.

“I know... This just feels somewhat final.”

She pursed her lips, suppressing a tremble, and moved towards him about a centimeter before halting. She did that again, before leaning towards Newt and placing a quick kiss on his cheek, her hand on his arm. She awkwardly pulled away, nervously trailing her hand down his arms in little bursts until her hand trailed his. She took a few steps backward before squaring her shoulders.

“I’ll write to you as soon as I arrive home,” she told the freckled man.

He simply nodded, unable to muster words. Tina bravely turned around and boarded the boat, not giving Newt a backward glance for fear that if she did, she would run back to him and never look back.

Newt watched longingly, and even after she had left his field of view, he stood there, fingertips ghosting his cheek where she had kissed him.