I apologize profusely for how long this took to post. I have been sick for the past month and I just crash as soon as I get home from work. Thank you, everyone, for keeping up with the story, it means a lot! I hope to have the next chapter posted within the next few days.

The Life I Had Not Thought Possible

Chapter 3

My Dearest Ms. Goldstein,

I want to offer my sincerest apologizes for not having written you sooner. I have been terribly busy since my return; though this is no excuse for my ghastly manners. My manuscript has been submitted for its final editing and then publication. It will not be long now before printing has begun and my obligations to the novel will cease. I plan to travel once more to New York in the coming weeks after the novel's publication. I hope that I may see you when I do. I have not had such good friends, as you and Queenie, in such a long while, and I would very much like to have some time to spend with you both. I pray the time flies by until my return to America.

With deepest regards,

Newt Scamander

Tina Goldstein shifted in her chair as she re-read the letter Newt sent her over five weeks prior, for the fifth time that day. Her eyes scanned the short paragraph and narrowed in response. No matter how many times she read it, the words stayed the same. Tina knew she should be thrilled; Newt was coming back to New York. And he made it sound like his trip would be soon. But his manner seemed so...formal.

Queenie entered the kitchen area and sat down at the table, across from Tina.

"That letter will turn to tatters if you never stop reading it," Queenie murmured playfully.

Tina scowled. "What does he mean?"

"I believe he means that he is coming back for a visit very soon," her sister supplied helpfully.

"I know that!" Tina snapped, irritatedly. "I meant about his other comment. He called me his friend."

"A disparaging insult, to be sure," Queenie returned with a grin.

Tina just shook her head, brown waves bouncing in frustration. Queenie just didn't understand. Though to be honest, neither did Tina. There was nothing wrong with Newt calling her a friend; she was honored in fact. But it still didn't feel right.

I don't know why it is bothering me so much.

"Because you like him, silly girl," Queenie supplied, helpfully.

"What did I say about reading my thoughts?" Tina replied, tartly.

"Well stop projecting them so loudly," Queenie retorted. "If you are so worried about what he meant, why didn't you write him to find out?"

"And say what, Queenie? 'I realize we only knew it each other for a brief period but can you please explain why you only called me a friend?'" Tina shook her head. "That would not go well."

"That might have worked!" Queenie returned with a playful grin as she poured her second cup of coffee. "Though you could do to be a little less dramatic."

Tina rolled her eyes and stood up from the table. She carefully folded the letter back into her coat pocket and reached for her hat.

"I have to head to work," Tina informed her sister.

"Today?" Queenie asked, confused. "But today is Saturday!"

"I have a lot of work I need to catch up on," Tina explained while avoiding eye contact with her younger sister.

"There are other things you can do to keep from going stir crazy than go to work," Queenie called out as Tina made a quick break for the door. "You could try something fun!"

"Work is fun," Tina retorted, before closing the door behind her.

Queenie shook her head. "Whatever you say, Teenie."

Tina felt guilty for lying to Queenie but she didn't want the younger woman to worry. She did not know what Director Wallace, Grave's replacement for the Auror department, wanted when they sent for her this morning, but Tina knew it couldn't be anything good. With the tension rising around Grindelwald, she did not see a reason to stress Queenie out.

It was a slightly warmer day than it had been, and at least the sun was shining instead of the incessant rain for the past week. Part of her wished she could have just ignored the summons and stayed at home. She knew where Queenie was going to be today, despite Tina's warnings. If Tina was at home she might have been able to stop Queenie from going back to the bakery. But the younger woman was stubborn, and probably would have gone anyways, with Tina home or not.

MACUSA was surprisingly busy for a Saturday morning as Tina entered the building and took the elevator down to her office. While working on the weekends was nothing unusual for Tina, she was almost always out in the field for it, either tracking down a suspect or, in months past, looking in on the Salem group. The elevator stopped on her level and Tina was surprised to see the office door already opened. She stepped in cautiously, wand firmly in her palm. She was surprised to see Madam Picquery standing by her desk.

"Thank you for coming in today, Miss Goldstein," the president offered her hand out and Tina took it hesitantly.

"Madam President, I wasn't expecting you. Director Wallace did not say I would meeting with you."

The president nodded but did not otherwise address Tina's statement. "Take a seat, Miss Goldstein."

Tina sat down at her desk chair, at once noticing her favorite newspaper article sticking out slightly from the drawer. Newt's face was blatantly obvious. Tina quickly shoved it back in its place, hoping the blush on her cheeks was not noticeable. Once the picture was securely away Tina returned her attention to the president, who was staring at her with a bemused grin. Tina felt the heat return to her face. She cleared her throat loudly.

"Wallace said it was urgent?"

Picquery's smile fell as she let out a heavy sigh. The older woman seemed to hesitate before speaking. "We...I... need you to question Grindelwald."

Tina leaned forward, stunned. "Me?"

Picquery nodded.

"But why me? I don't know how much help I would be."

"It's not like you haven't questioned suspects before," Picquery reasoned.

"Yes, murders and theives," Tina argued. "Not evil masterminds hell-bent on world domination and chaos!"

Picquery stood up from the chair across from Tina's and slowly began pacing in between the rows of desks.

"We have had Grindelwald for months now. I've had my best interrogators on him and what have we gotten out of him? Nothing!"

Tina had never seen the president so frustrated before. Picquery had always been a charismatic and demanding presence, but now she just looked haggard and exhausted.

"We have no idea on his accomplices, or his previous escapes," Picquery continued. "We don't even know the location, or fate, of the real Percival Graves."

While she wanted to help, Tina just did not believe she would be able to make a difference.

"What makes you think he would even speak to me, much less tell me anything important?"

Picquery stopped her pacing and turned to face Tina directly.

"Grindelwald has asked for you. Repeatedly."

Tina could feel the color out of her face. "For me?"

Picquery nodded. "Normally I would not relent to the demands of a prisoner but I am getting desperate. The Ministry of Magic is breathing down my neck, 'requesting' that I release him to their custody."

The president returned back to the seat opposite of Tina. "Without any breakthroughs in information, I very well may have to relent to the Ministry. And then we will never know how the bastard snuck past our defences or what happened to Graves."

Tina was still unsure. The task set before her was daunting, and it was unlikely she would succeed; but Graves had been not only her mentor in her early days as an Auror, but also a friend. If there was at least a small possibility that she could get through to Grindelwald, then she had to try.

"If you think it will make a difference, then I will do my best."

Picquery sighed a deep breath of relief. "Thank you, Tina. Just let him talk to you; see if you can draw out something, anything from him."

Tina nodded, her throat tight with nerves. "Okay, when should I start?"

"No sense in putting this off, let's head downstairs now."

It was both the longest and the shortest elevator ride of Tina's life. She spared a quick glance down at her hands; they were trembling desperately. She shoved them into her coat pockets, but not before Picquery noticed.

The president placed a steady hand on Tina's shoulder, forcing Tina to look back up.

"Don't let him upset you," Picquery advised. "There is nothing he can do to you now."

Though the president sounded confident, Tina knew that statement was not necessarily true. Grindelwald was notorious for escaping his confines; Tina just hoped if he did so again, he would be too preoccupied with running than seeking revenge.

"I'll do my best," Tina responded with as much strength as she could muster.

Picquery smiled. "I know you will."

The elevator opened to the basement prison, reserved only for the most dangerous criminals. With the numerous spells, guards, and enchantments, the prison was supposedly impregnable. Director Wallace was waiting at the door to the interrogation cell. He shook Tina's hand.

"I'm glad you could make it, Tina."

"Happy to help," Tina muttered quietly.

"He's ready for you," Wallace jerked his thumb at the door behind him. "Be succinct, and give up nothing. He's in one of his moods, so don't let him rile you up."

Tina nodded, unable to form any words. She reached for the door and placed a shaking hand on the handle. With a deep breath she pushed it open.

The cell was brightly lit, but unpleasantly empty, save for the simple table in the middle of the room. It uncomfortably reminded her of the cell she and Newt had been placed in after the false Graves had arrested them. But this time, she did not have Newt's warm presence standing behind her. Tina recognized two of her colleagues standing in the back, wands pointing directly at the blonde haired man sitting across from where she stood. Tina made sure her legs were steady before walking over to the table and taking a seat on the other side of Grindelwald. The older wizard had a sickening sneer on his face as he recognized her face. He bared his teeth in an smile clearly meant to throw her off balance. When he spoke, his words felt like insects crawling underneath her skin.

"Miss Goldstein," he spoke in a pleasant tone, which had her automatically on edge. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Picquery had given Tina a list of questions to ask on the way down, with strict instructions to not veer from the allotted topics. Tina placed her still shaking hands in her lap and mentally steadied herself. This was her job; Grindelwald was nothing more than a low-life criminal, and she had handled men of his kind, time and time again. She could do this.

Tina looked up from the list on the table to study the wizard before her. His piercing blue eyes bore into hers but she paid them no mind. He was trying to intimidate her, as he had down with so any others before. But Tina had not backed down when he dueled with her as Percival Graves, she would not back down now.

Tina furrowed her brow and set to work.

"I need a list of your current and past accomplices." Tina pushed a quill and piece of parchment towards Grindelwald. He lifted his cuffed hands to rest near the parchment but never touched it.

"I see Picquery has finally run out of options if she is sending you."

"The list if you please," Tina stated, indicating the parchment again, her voice never wavering. Inwardly, she congratulated her resolve.

"I will not be giving you anything," Grindelwald stated simply.

"Mr. Grindelwald, if you are lucky, you will be spending the rest of your life rotting away in Azkaban. Why make things even more difficult for yourself? Answer our questions and you may be granted an easier place to live out your days."

The older wizard let out a cold and harsh laugh.

"My Dear, you know as well as I, that no prison can hold me." Grindelwald leaned back in his seat and gestured with his hands to the Aurors behind him. "Nor will I be held captive long enough to become a prisoner."

"Your days of escape are over, Mr. Grindelwald," Tina insisted. "You have been caught for the final time. You will be tried and convicted, and, most likely, you will be executed."

Grindelwald's eyes narrowed but his smile returned.

"Has Newt Scamander returned to New York?" His question was simple, but Tina felt it burn in her gut. The seconds stretched on as silence reigned in the cell. She knew she had to respond but Tina found her mouth had gone dry. Newt was the reason Grindelwald had been captured at all. Tina had hoped the criminal would forget that detail but it seemed the wizard had an unfailing and vengeful memory. What worried her more, however, was the fact that Grindelwald knew Newt was no longer in the state.

Tina decided to it was time to shift her questioning.

"Where is the real Percival Graves?"

"Are you aware that Newt Scamander was one of few students to ever be expelled from Hogwarts?" Grindelwald asked and then let out a soft chuckle as he noticed her hands tightly clench the list in front of her. Tina had not heard about Newt's expulsion, but that did not mean it was true. Grindelwald was probably just trying to get a rise out of her. She forced herself to release the list and folded her hands in her lap instead.

"What have you done with Mr. Graves?" Tina asked, her voice calm and stern.

"Newton's own family was ashamed of him. He placed every person at Hogwarts in danger due to his 'unnatural' love for his beasts. It was only due to his brother's popularity that he was able to get the boy a job in the Ministry," Grindelwald stated. Tina began to worry that Grindelwald might not be lying about the magizoologist. Newt had come across to her as an awkward introvert at best. And Newt had made enough comments to her to make Tina think that he wasn't an overly popular person wherever he went. But none of that had mattered to Tina. She found his awkwardness endearing, and he was possibly the most caring person she had ever met; save for Queenie. Tina was not going to let the asshole sitting in front of her, change her opinion of the man she cared about.

"Newt was capable enough to capture you," Tina stated, unable to resist the jab. Grindelwald's grin turned into snarl and Tina felt pride swell in her chest from being able to upset the cold-hearted monster so easily. Though she knew taunting him was not going to help her get the information from him that she needed.

"Newton Scamander is a pathetic excuse of a pure-blood and could never compare with the magical abilities of myself," Grindelwald sneered.

"And yet he easily bested you. He's now regarded as a hero," Tina leaned forward, a wide smile on her face. The smile soon disappeared as Grindelwald fairly leapt from his seat and lunged forward. The Aurors behind him scrambled to attention and moved to stand on either side of him. Tina scooted back in her chair, in an unconscious effort to escape from his presence.

"Scamander is a traitor to his kind and he will never be a hero," Grindelwald hissed, his figure looming over her. Tina swallowed her fear and allowed anger to fuel her strength. She was not going to let him bully her around.

Tina was aware of Picquery and Wallace entering the cell but she was too angry to care. She stood quickly and leaned forward coming within half a foot of Grindelwald.

"He is a hero to me," she whispered furiously.

Grindelwald seemed to study her silently for a long moment. He sat back down with an unnerving smile.

"Keep your hero close while you have him," Grindelwald advised. "Once I am freed, I will destroy him."

Tina felt a hand on her arm and looked over briefly to see Director Wallace attempting to pull her away from the table. She shook the hand off angrily and spun back around to face Grindelwald. No one was going to threaten Newt while she was here to do something about it.

"You will have to go through me first," she spat.

Grindelwald kept his smile as he quietly stated, "that will not be a problem."

With a growl Tina ripped past Wallace and Picquery and stormed back towards the elevator. She had a letter to write, and a man to protect.