going to be fine
Newt hides his shaking hands inside his coat pockets as he watches Hector finish snapping up the buckles of his trunk, a wobbly smile overtaking the corners of his mouth when the boy, in his haste, misses one entirely and has to go back. He hasn't noticed his father's presence yet and Newt appreciates a lingering moment to take in his son's room with him in it for one last time before he's off to Hogwarts.
The walls are filled with sketches of fantastic beasts and breathtaking landscapes, some taken straight from the pages of Newt's own book, some less steady and sure: drawn by Hector himself as they've travelled around, updating and expanding in the compendium of creatures. He'd worried, when Hector was only young, if his son would grow to appreciate their beasts the way he did, or if his son would be just another in a long line of people embarrassed by and of him.
To his great surprise and Tina's great amusement, it's been a love they've shared, a center point in their bond and it's so counterpoint to the wedge it's always drove between Newt and his own father that it overwhelms him sometimes, the way Hector looks up at him, dark eyes gleaming, begging for another story about another adventure.
Now though, watching him jump up and, completely unaware that he's being watched, scamper to the far wall to pull down a picture to tuck away into his trunk, he worries again. Worries that Hector's passion will drive the same dividing lines between him and his schoolmates that it had for Newt.
"Are we ready to go yet?" Tina's warm where she presses into his back, standing at the ends of her toes to peer over Newt's shoulder and smile at Hector.
Surprised, the eleven year old jumps up from his case and then beams, all excitement at his parents. "Yes! Is it time to go?"
He feels Tina's eyes on him, dark and knowing and warm as her fingers find his still trembling and grasp right, patiently waiting for him to answer. "Yes, I do believe it's time to be off."
Somewhere between the bedroom door and the sidewalk, his shaking either subsides or is simply absorbed by the steady touch of his wife. He is, as always, so grateful for her.
"It's incredible," Tina breathes beside him, as Hector nearly vibrates before them, staring at the billowing smoke and the scarlet steam engine, the words Hogwarts Express emblazoned proud along the side.
Something in Newt's chest expands rapidly at their twin expressions of wonder, a pleasant sort of discomfort. However worried he may be for his son, he still revels in watching the two people he loves most in the world taken aback as they experience Platform 9 and 3/4 for the first time. "I've told you," he teases, light and easy the way he only is with the pair of them, "Hogwarts is the finest school, right from the train station."
He feels Tina's smile as much as sees it, but it's Hector's expression, turning back on him, that strikes him the strongest. For all he has been the picture of youthful excitement for months, there is a gleam of anxiety there that Newt knows only too well. "Dad?"
He drops into a crouch, feels Tina press a little closer behind him, and nods for Hector to continue.
"Were you nervous when you first went to Hogwarts."
Nervous, relieved, terrified, excited, anguished. He'd felt so much, every time he'd stepped onto this very platform whether he was coming or going. "Everyone is," is what he says, leaving out the rest. "But you're going to have a lovely time. You'll get sorted into your house and make new friends and learn a great deal about a great many things."
"Not about magical creatures!" Hector grins, obviously proud. "I already know all about those."
His heart swells and Newt cannot contain his own proud laugh. "Humans are the most difficult magical creatures, you'll learn a good lot about them at least."
The smile wavers and Hector's eyes may be all his mother's in color, but they are Newt's in habit, skittering down toward the toes of his shoes while he voice drops again, back into a wobble. "But I'll be okay?"
"Of course you will." And he finds he means it, with a confidence a younger Newt Scamander would have done well to have. "And when you come home for Christmas, you'll be able to tell Pickett all the new things you've learned." And on cue, the little bowtruckle pops up from his favorite hideaway, tucked along the collar of Hector's coat, looking distinctly sulky.
"Sorry Pickett," Hector raises up his open palm, which Pickett steps into moodily, allowing himself to be grudgingly transferred to Newt's hand. "You're not an owl or a cat or a toad," the bowtruckle makes a sound of indignance that leaves the whole little family laughing. "But I'll write you too." Placated, Pickett allows himself to be tucked behind Newt's lapel.
Having watched the whole exchange with a fond pang, Tina takes the transition to scoop Hector into a hug, pleased when he doesn't protest, just clings back tightly. "I'll miss you mum."
"I'll miss you too Hector. Write us when you can, work hard and be good." It's warm but the reminder is stern too; a fine balance that she's absolutely perfected over the years. He nods, firm and sure and then reaches up for a hug from his father, which Newt gladly returns.
"Best be going Hector, or you'll start your year off late."
Watching him nod and run off, pulling his floating trunk along with him, is suddenly the hardest thing Newt has ever done. They linger until the train disappears from the station and then he sighs, heavily, and turns to Tina who, as she often does, knows what he's about to say before he's had a chance to say it.
"He's going to be fine Newt."
They get the letter the next morning, written in a slanted hand that's all excitement as it proclaims that he was sorted into Hufflepuff, "Just like dad!" and that he misses them already.
There's a picture of a bow truckle wearing what Newt must explain to Tina is the sorting hat and then his name.
"He's going to be just fine," Newt agrees, tucking the letter into his breast pocket, just above his heart.
This time, I decided Newt and Tina only had a son, for those who preferred this one. Also, Newt's character is a bit more at east, as I feel years of fatherhood would make him. Hope you enjoyed! (Not related to the most fantastic of beast).
The name Hector comes from the Prince of Troy, which I liked because he was known as the tamer of horses and I liked the beast connection that could make. Furthermore, I learned that Scamander was trojan in origin, so it fit all the more.
Take care & Best Wishes!