Thank you for taking a look! This story takes place just a couple of months after the movie and shows the start of Tina and Newt's relationship. Rated M for violence and future sexual themes.
New York City was beautiful in late winter. Some would disagree, stating the overpopulated and polluted city was never in a true state of beauty, but Tina Goldstein found peace in the snow covered high towers, the bustling crowds and blaring sounds. New York had always been her home, the place she was most comfortable. It was where she had lived with her parents long ago, where she had raised and cared for Queenie, and now where she worked as a fully-reinstated Auror. Before, that was all Tina had really wanted; to live with her dear sister and work her dream, in her favorite city.
It was ironic, even depressingly comical, how quickly things had changed.
Tina first noticed the change in Queenie. No longer did her sister bite her lip and giggle at every word people spoke to her. She did not bake or cook exquisite meals in her free time. She didn't hang off Tina's arm, gossiping about work and what witch was sleeping with who. Her baby sister was now quiet, hair flat and no longer in adorably, wound curls. Tina would cautiously ask how her day was and Queenie would politely answer. On a good day, she, might even give her a half-smile, but would then withdraw to her room.
Queenie missed Jacob.
Tina wouldn't lie; she missed the No-Maj too. He was surprisingly entertaining to be around and seemed to touch each of them in their little band differently, but he had definitely made most of an impact on her sister. The old Tina would have chastised Queenie. She would have marched right up to her, one hand on her hip and the other pointing at her sister's perfect nose and stated it was ridiculous to pine after a man she'd hardly known for three days. Practical women did no such thing. Tina knew better. She couldn't tell her sister such things.
Because Tina missed Newt Scamander.
It had been two months, two long agonizing months since he left her on that dock, quietly stroking back a piece of her hair and telling her he'd return. Tina didn't know it was possible to miss someone so much, especially since she had originally been trying to arrest him. There was something about him, a rare kindness and gentleness, that made her wish to him see him again.
She'd heard from him, of course. His first letter arrived days after he had left. It came clutched in the talons of a large barn owl. Newt either didn't know owls weren't really used in America or didn't care. Tina was confident it was the latter. On its first visit, the animal had come in, sliding across her desk, causing both her partner and herself to shout in panic. Now, weeks later, Tina had a small corner of her desk reserved for the animal. However, it had now been more than week since she had heard from him.
"Eh Goldstein you alright? Madame President is going to be up our asses if we don't get that report turned in."
Tina jump, stuffing old letters into her top drawer before flicking her wand. Quickly, her pen scattered across a stack of pages entirely on its own, writing of the arrest they had made earlier that day. She could always count on her partner, Montgomery, to keep her head out of the clouds. Sometimes she lost track of how long she'd been friends with the man. Ten years perhaps? He had only been a few years older than her at school and was her first partner as an Auror. Now, he often apologized for not sticking closer to her when she had been demoted, especially since she had been so dangerously close to Grindelwald, but Tina waved it off. She had Newt with her then. She didn't need anyone else.
"Yeah, yeah. I'm working on it. It'll be up on her desk in the next hour."
"Did you hear about the other call? Two more reports on reports of the Imperious curse and some No-Maj was found with his tongue four feet long, spilling pout his mouth. Scared the shit out of his wife and kids."
"Hopefully, it'll all die down soon," Tina replied easily. Every day, attacks against No-Majs were getting worse. Grindelwald was still in American custody, due to be executed just the next day. Tina had a felling that's why the attacks were getting more desperate; his army didn't have long before they lost their leader.
"Uh hopefully not." Montgomery ran a hand through his perfectly combed hair and gave her a pointed look. "Because then we're out of the job. Hey, we still meeting your sister for lunch?"
"No, she um-she didn't answer my letter." Queenie hardly spoke at all these days. "So, probably not."
"Well, we can still go," he shrugged. "Come one. We'll be back by the time that report is done."
"That's alright. You go." She glanced again towards the window. Still no owl. "I'm still waiting for something."
Her partner didn't miss her glance towards the window. He gave a notable sigh, throwing on his suit jacket as he did so. Tina wasn't sure why, but he had never been very interested in hearing about her three-day adventure with Newt. He also didn't seem too keen on the owl appearing on her desk every day. "That guy isn't talking to you anymore?"
"I didn't notice," she replied, almost slightly defensively. Honestly, she had no idea why Newt had stopped sending her letters. Of course, she knew he was busy; had a life outside of writing her letters all day. A strange face of witch, beautiful and dark, entered her mind but she pushed it away. It wouldn't do her any good to think like that. "He's probably just busy."
"Sure." Montgomery grabbed his hat as he spoke. "Or he found another pretty face seeing as how you two ain't even in the same country. He's a just a guy, Goldstein. Stop moping about him."
"You know, I think I'm going to head home for a bit." Grabbing her bag and stuffing it full of various forms and articles, Tina gave another glance to the window. If it came, the owl would know to go to her home, right? "Think you can manage turning in that report on your own?"
"You got it. See you tomorrow?" The execution; something Tina was not wanting to attend, but was required to.
"Yeah. Let me know if you need me, okay?"
And with that, Tina practically fled from the office. She loved her partner but the discussion of Newt was too much for her. She would get much more done at home rather than at her desk. Hurrying through the marble halls, Tina did her best to dodge the throngs of workers. The Congress was in a frenzy but Tina still tried to keep an eye out for her sister, thinking perhaps she could still convince her to spend some time with her.
She knew what the answer would be though.
The awaited owl no longer on her mind, Tina hurried up a set of stone steps to the row of offices far more impressive than her own. Taking a small peak inside of the first one, she saw the owner was alone.
Graves had been different ever since they found him trapped in the basement of his own home; gagged, half-alive, without a single piece of clothing. No one was quite sure how long Grindelwald had been impersonating him. Graves was unsure how long he was a captive and Grindelwald refused to speak. Her boss now was more reserved; he hardly spoke and when he did, it was low and always with slight annoyance. Tina did not blame him. In fact, it only made her hate Grindelwald more.
"Mr. Graves?" He looked up from the paper he was reading, pen poised in his hand. He gave no indication she could continue speaking, except for continuing to stare at her. "Um, I was going to leave for the afternoon. I just wondered if there had been anything new incidents I should-."
"Just go, Goldstein. I think we have it handled here. You finish your last report yet?"
"No, it's being finished now. Montgomery said he would-."
"You're leaving early without even finishing a report?" She felt her cheeks grow red. Graves ignored it though and continued writing without looking at her. "I thought you being reinstated would have given you a bit more initiative. Bring me the report then you're free to go, but remember you're expected to be here for tomorrow."
Tina nodded, backing out of the office as soon as he was done speaking. Having hardly any friends, or even acquaintances was nothing new. Being reinstated didn't change that. Fighting her way back through the crowds she had just come, Tina hoped Montgomery had already left. She really didn't feel like denying one of his requests again. Coming upon their pair of desks, she was thankful to see they were empty.
However, something else made her freeze. Stomach twisting in uneasy knots, Tina carefully looked at a large, leather bound book situated perfectly on her desk that had not been there before. Catching her breath, she whipped around, frantically looking around for any sign that its deliverer was still there. Hands shaking and her mouth turning upwards into an uneasy smile, Tina grabbed Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them off her desk and practically ran out the door.
Newt Scamander did not particularly care for New York City. All large cities were the same; overpopulated, noisy, and severely lacking in a variety of magical creatures. No, he much preferred other habitats; other company.
Tina Goldstein for example.
Newt wasn't used to enjoying human company. Often, he was found annoying and intrusive. His own family thought of him odd and he when he was younger, he'd only had one friend at school. Even she was gone now. Never did he think being arrested would lead him to find two of the finest friends a man could hope for and a woman like Tina.
After he'd gone home, it had been agonizing waiting to send her the first letter. Newt didn't want to seem pushy and had been careful to not flood her with notes just days after saying goodbye. She had been on his mind constantly since then. Never had he met someone so concerned with doing good; who just wanted the evil in the world to be gone. All that, in addition to the love she showed her sister and the smile she had watching Frank fly into the sky of the city. Newt couldn't let someone like that just slip away. He wouldn't.
That's why he was there, on a windy February afternoon in the very city he had such a distaste for, with a promise clutched in his hand and his briefcase in the other. His trip had taken longer than he'd expected; nothing was ever certain when traveling like a muggle, but he was there and that was all that mattered.
Nodding awkwardly to the wizard standing guard outside of the Magical Congress, Newt was allowed inside without any questions. Apparently assisting in the capturing of one of the darkest wizards in modern history allowed everyone to forget his mishap with his magical creatures. At least, almost everyone.
Just as he was looking for some sort of directory to find where Tina could be, a loud, authoritative voice rang over the bustle of the workday. "Mr. Scamander. That better be a perfectly ordinary suitcase you're carrying."
"Madame Picquery," he raised a couple of fingers in greeting. The aurors that surrounded her eyed him carefully, all while she did the same. Waving away a reporter that she'd been speaking to, the President came closer to him. "I can assure you I haven't made the same mistakes as last time." It was half a truth. This time, the case had a heavy locking charm.
"We're glad to hear it." She still gave the case a skeptical glance before continuing. "I am pleased to see you accepted our invitation. Our country still owes you quite a bit of thanks."
"Couldn't have done it without Ms. Goldstein," he admitted, "but you know that."
"Of course." For a moment, there was almost the hint of a smile on her face. Newt wondered if she could tell how anxious he was; nervous but excited just to see her face again. Her next words were evidence that she did. "Tenth Floor. Aurors offices are to the right. I trust we'll see you tomorrow."
"Yes Madame. Thank you!" Taking half a skip backwards, he hurried to elevator. Around him there were whispers and second glances. The famous Newt Scamander, a lowly Magizoologist that took down Grindelwald, had returned. Ignoring them all, he only had one thing currently on his mind; not his case, not Grindelwald…only one. And he would find her on the tenth floor.
Skidding around a corner, bow tie lopsided and hair askew, Newt had no idea whay to say to Tina. What would it be like to say her name and have her turn to face him? Would she mad he hadn't written in such a long time? Angry that he didn't ask to visit first? Or would she have a teary, blushing smile just like the one she gave him on the docks.
It appeared, Newt would still have to wonder. He saw her desk immediately. Goldstein wasscrawled in a silver script on a name plate, articles and wanted ads littered the top, and corner had a small perch; perfect size for a delivery owl. The chair though, was empty, and there was no sign of her in the long room. Next to her desk, a burly man was grabbing a briefcase and situating his hat as he made to leave.
"Uh, excuse me? You work here?" Newt asked, trying to remember if Tina had mentioned her partner before she was demoted. He didn't think she had. "Do you know Tina Goldstein? Or even her sister perhaps?"
"Depends on who's asking," the man replied with a deep American accent. He paused, looking Newt up and down. Newt shuffled his feet as he waited. "Hey, you're the guy she was with. Scamander?"
"That would be me," he replied easily. "I've come a long way to uh-give her this." He held up the book as he spoke. "Know where she might be?"
"No, sorry. She didn't tell me where she was going. Not really sure when she'll be back."
"Wonderful," Newt muttered. "I will just leave this for her then. You really don't know where she could be? You see, it's been a long time-."
"I don't. When I see her, I'll let her know you stopped by."
"Right. Well, thank you…"
"Montgomery." The man grasped his hand tightly. "Her partner. See you around Scamander."
And then he was gone. Newt placed the book carefully on Tina's desk, arranging it so there would be no feasible way for her to miss it when she returned. It was disappointing to not know when he'd be able to see her. He wasn't even sure how to contact her now that they were actually in the same city.
Getting a good hold on his case, Newt left the office, in search of another Goldstein sister that might be able to help him.
Hope you enjoyed the intro! Please let me know what you think!