Unsurprisingly, it was raining in London when they arrived. Tina had glared up at the sky, probably declaring a mutiny against the weather. What she had against the rain was anyone's guess. Newt chuckled, opening his muggle umbrella and holding it out so she could step outside.

"Does it ever not rain in your country?" Tina complained loudly, earning a few amused glances from muggles they passed as they crossed the docks. "I mean, is the stereotype true?"

"Tina, it is February," Newt beamed at her, "When we left New York, it was raining. That was only a week ago."

"Yeah, but that's proper rain, Newt," Tina huffed, clinging onto his arm and trying to avoid puddles where she could. "I mean, proper rain. You go out, you get wet, its ok. Here, I mean, England is just wet."

"Well, yes, rain does have a habit of getting you wet," Newt chuckled. He used the arm holding his suitcase to indicate the suitable alley away from prying eyes that they frequently used to apparate. Tina nodded and together they ducked in, quickly apparating to the boundary line of Mr and Mrs Scamander's estate.

"You going to see the hippogriffs first?" Tina asked, already expecting the nod as Newt pushed the gate open for her. "Ok, pass me the case. I ain't staying out in the wet. I'll see them tomorrow before we leave."

Newt smiled down at her, his eyes crinkling at the corners in that adorable way which made her heart flutter a little.

"Take the umbrella too," he advised, passing both items over. "It's barely raining after all."

With that, he ducked out into the rain. Which was most definitely rain and not his silly drizzle.

"I ain't drying your clothes when you get back," Tina called after him, shaking her head fondly before continuing up the path to the house. Diana answered the door as Tina arrived.

"Newt gone to see the Griffs?" Diana enquired, taking in Tina standing alone on the doorstep. "Of course he has, well, come in Porpentina! Don't stand out there in the rain."

"Thank you!" Tina crowed. Then suddenly felt the need to explain herself as she crossed the threshold to the Manor. "Oh, um, Newt said it was barely raining."

"He's just teasing, dear," Diana said absently, taking the umbrella off Tina and propping it in the stand. "Theseus and Hippolyta have not long arrived."

"They're here too?" Tina felt her high mood sink at just the thought.

"Oh, don't worry, they're on their best behaviour," Diana promised. "As we are all going to the Gala tonight I thought it would nice for a family dinner beforehand. Try and keep Newt from spearing Theseus with a fork won't you? There's a dear."

"It's not me you'll have to worry about Mother," Newt bounded in, shaking water from his hair and delighting in the annoyance on Tina's face. "Tina is just as likely to, as you so eloquently put it, spear him with a fork."

"Dinner is going to be fun," Tina sighed sarcastically. "I'm gonna go wash the journey off Mrs Scamander. Am I in the same room as before?"

"Diana dear, you're practically family. And yes, same room as before. Same distance from Newt as before. Go on you two, we're having an early dinner to accommodate the gala so, off you pop," she made a shooing motion with her hands.

Dutifully, Newt and Tina set up off the stairs.

"Remind me again why we couldn't just go to Indonesia," Tina slumped down on her bed while Newt removed his damp coat and slung it in front of the roaring fine in her room.

"Because it's an important charity event, and whether we like it or not, we still officially work for our respective ministries," Newt answered her, flopping down on the chair at the vanity.

"Hey, Newt," Tina suddenly had a thought, she rolled onto her side, propping her head up with her hand to look at him. "What are we gonna do about that? I mean, when we're finished with this load of field work, do I go back to New York? Or… what's gonna happen?"

The content smile slid off Newt's face, and Tina almost felt bad for bringing it up. But it seemed the perfect time, talking about their ministries.

"I don't know," he answered honestly, examining his hands intently, as if they were the most fascinating things he had ever seen. "I mean, I have to stay here. Well, stay with the ministry…"

"Oh…" Tina looked down and started fiddling with the comforter.

"Can we table this?" Newt asked quietly, "I want to enjoy this evening, at a dance with you, not worrying about the future. And tomorrow night, we go to Indonesia. We have until Summer to make a decision….right?"

"Yeah," Tina nodded, smiling a little sadly. "We still need to make the decision though."

"But not yet," Newt insisted, forcing a smile onto his face. He clapped his hands to his knees and stood up, moving to the bed to hoist Tina to her feet. "Well, come on then, coat off, we have to go and play nice with my brother and Hippolyta, just until we can leave tomorrow."

"I'll play nice if she does," Tina muttered defensively, letting Newt slide her coat from her shoulders to hang it next to his. "I mean, how low do you have to be to ignore your brother for the first thirty years of his existence, overshadow him and belittle him, and then, when he is suddenly famous, well liked, and talked about – try to grab the coattails of success. How is him sucking up to you gonna get him to be Minister of Magic?"

Newt was watching her impassioned defence with a soft, amused smile on his face. Tina stuck her chin out definitely, meeting his gaze.

"I ain't promising anything, Newt," she warned. "If he starts – "

"You'll go for the jugular," He smiled, leaning forward to press a kiss to her forehead. "And I would expect nothing less. You don't need to be so defensive of me though, I can take it."

"You shouldn't have to take it," Tina argued. "Now get out so I can change. I'll meet you at the end of the corridor in twenny minutes."

"Twenty minutes," Newt agreed. "And no weapons at dinner."

"I won't need a weapon," Tina muttered. Newt chuckled, and proceeded to duck out of the room, his case propped against the wall by the door. Tina checked the locks, then proceeded to wash and change for dinner.

….

Theseus Scamander was tall, well groomed, and had the bearing of a man used to getting what he wanted. He had a well-structured face lacking in the freckles Newt had, and had what Tina called his perpetual sneer. He had spent his life looking down on his 'soft' younger brother, dragging him aside to tell him to be more like everyone else while at Hogwarts, and generally just ignoring him once he had been expelled. Theseus had a Grand Plan to be Minister for Magic, and a wayward, eccentric younger brother was damaging to the war hero reputation he had painstakingly created. His wife was well connected, beautiful and ambitious. She had been a Malfoy, but Theseus had been handsome, well connected and ambitious enough to satisfy her, so relinquishing the Malfoy name for the Scamander had been a simple choice.

They wanted to Newt to fit in their image, their plan. A political plan. When Newt had reached levels of success only a dark haired American girl had dared to dream, they had begun to wonder how they could use Newt to further their own ends. That self-same dark haired American that believed in him had put a stop to Hippolyta's main plan to have Newt marry a respectable pureblood lady from one of the other well connected houses. Political allies were hard to come by in the tension fraught society Grindlewald had fostered in Britain.

Despite everything, Newt had continued to behave as Newt was wont. He never seemed to notice their plans for greatness, and his constant shadow would glare at them if ever they mentioned anything she deemed irrelevant to their current life plans. However, even they had to admit that Newt only ever moved easily within their society with Tina nearby. Theseus liked her for that. In fact, he could easily see how Newt had been able to fall so head over heels for her. Tina was cut from the same tree.

They watched as Newt introduced Tina to some aging members of the Wizengamot. Theseus was sure they would be charmed by her, something about Miss Goldstein's loyalty and passion endeared her to all.

"I accept her," Theseus muttered into his champagne glass for his wife's ears. "In fact Lyta, I actually quite like her."

"Well, we don't have much choice," she murmured back. "Besides, he could do a lot worse. She brings us no allies, but you should hear the debutantes talk about them. As if they were a sickle romance novel."

"Not only that," Theseus watched as his brother gently touched his companions arm to whisper something to her before heading to the drinks table. She watched him leave, a small smile on her face, before turning back to the conversation. "My brother is happy. I can't take that away from him."

Hippolyta nodded silently. She was watching the door like a hawk. Suddenly, she went pale and straightened up.

"Thee," she whispered, trying to regain her staid aloof composure. "The Rowle's just entered the room."

Theseus whipped round, sure enough, his gangly, awkward, happy younger brother was on a collision course for the one person Theseus never wanted him to see again.

"Merlin's beard," he muttered, passing his glass over to Hippolyta and moving quickly through the crowd to where Tina stood. "Gentlemen," he boomed to Tina's enraptured audience, "Might I steal Miss Goldstein away from you?"

Without giving an option, he steered Tina from the conversation.

"Before you offer any sort of admonishment, know that this is entirely for Newt's sake. Leta Rowle just walked into the room. You may have heard of her. Once upon a time she was Leta Lestrange. And she hurt my brother. Please. Stay with him. He'll need you if he meets her," Theseus pleaded in a low voice so others didn't hear. Tina went pale, and started searching in the crowd for Newt. Theseus used his greater height, pointing her in Newt's direction which she took off in without a word. All she cared about was protecting and helping Newt. Theseus knew his brother had made a wise choice. His brother belonged somewhere for the first time in his life, which was all Theseus had ever wanted for him.

….

Newt was weaving his way through the crowd, humming happily to himself, with two glasses of the best elfish wine the Ministry had on offer that night. He normally hated these events. They made him awkward. But tonight, Tina was making things easier. She had charmed everyone she met, and she had been happily defending her opinions on the Bulgarian Ministry's potion import ban when he had left her to fetch them some more drinks.

As usual, he avoided eye contact, wanting to get back to Tina as soon as he could. He found it easier to talk with her there, even about things like politics. He supposed it was because he knew that she would never judge him, even if other people did. He was so focused on navigating the throngs of people without spilling the drinks or being sucked into conversation, that he didn't notice her until she spoke up.

"Hello Newt,"

He froze. He hadn't heard that voice since he had been in school. Hadn't heard that voice since she had said goodbye. He looked up sharply, just to check. It was her. He gulped, not sure how to deal with the situation. He wished Tina were here.

"Um… Miss Lestrange," he stammered, ducking his head and avoiding her eyes. Talking to Leta had once been easy. Now, it was the hardest thing he had ever done.

"Its Leta Rowle now," She admitted, and he glanced up again. She had aged well, her dark skin contrasting against the light fabric of her dress, her once unruly black hair pulled into a sharp bun. Her eyes were dimmed, and he wondered when the fire that once burned in them had been put out. He didn't want to think about how. "I've missed you Newt."

"Have you?" he asked "You could have written."

"I couldn't," she said quietly, poised and refined in a way she had never been in their six years of school. "I wasn't allowed."

"That never stopped you before," the words fell from his mouth before he could stop them. He looked down in embarrassment.

"No," she laughed lightly, "No, I suppose it didn't. I caused you enough pain. I've come to make amends."

Newt's eyes flickered up, and back down again, wondering if it would be rude of him to try and see if he could spot Tina in the crowd around him.

"I read your book," Leta smiled. "I was so proud. You always said you would educate our kind about the wonderful creatures we found, I suppose I never imagined you would do so well."

"Nor did I, as a matter of fact," Newt replied, "In fact, Tina always says that if I had expected great things, I wouldn't have gotten them."

"Ah, I had heard you had a companion now," Leta was still smiling politely, but Newt got the feeling this was the real reason she had found him in the crowded ballroom. "An American, I'm told."

"Yes," Newt stood a little straighter, "I do believe she is the best woman I have ever, or will ever have the pleasure of knowing."

"So, it's true then?" She asked, "The incorrigible Newt Scamander has finally found someone to tame his wild ways?"

"Tina compliments me," he defended. "I haven't tried to change her and she doesn't try to change me."

Leta looked taken aback. "You're standing in a ballroom, Newt," she waved a bejewelled, manicured hand around the room. "You have changed."

"Time has a habit of doing that," he said sharply. "Now if you'll excuse me-"

"There you are!" Tina suddenly appeared at his shoulder, grey silk robes and loose hair and a steely glint in her eye. He had never been more relieved to see her. He handed her one of the glasses, as she tucked her arm through his. She was acting territorial, and he loved it. "Who's your friend?"

"Tina Goldstein, I'd like you to meet Leta Rowle. Leta Lestrange, as were," He made the necessary introduction. The fact Tina's grip didn't tighten on his arm made him sure that she already knew who he was. "Which you already knew," he muttered under his breath. Tina glanced up at him.

"You're Newt's old schoolfriend?" Tina asked politely, sipping her drink. She was all poise and elegance, lethal and charming all at once.

"I am," Leta smiled prettily, "We were such good friends at school."

"So I've heard," Tina commented dryly. Leta glared at her. Tina matched her glare with a defiant tilt of her head and a raise of her eyebrow.

"I'm ok," he said to Tina, a soft smile on his face. "You can put your claws away."

Leta looked at him in shock. Tina narrowed her eyes at him, her eyes boring into his as she tried to work out if he was telling the truth.

"Theseus is looking for us," she said eventually, turning back to Leta with a fake, sickly smile.

"One moment," Newt said, turning back to Leta. "You see, I realised something a few years ago. All you ever did was hurt me. I can't ever be your friend again. You didn't want a friend. And, I forgive you for it. For everything. Because, it doesn't matter anymore. I've changed. And for the better. So, I wish you all the best Mrs Rowle, it was a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

With that, they walked away. Once they were a sufficient distance, Tina yanked him behind a column, discarding her glass to wrap her arms tightly around his shoulders. He sank into her embrace.

"You ok?" She asked quietly. Newt nodded into her shoulder.

"Yes," he said decisively. "I do believe I am. I needed that, I think. To put the past to bed."

"So, you're not still in love with her?" Tina asked hopefully, and Newt was reminded of the first time he left her, standing on the jetty with her asking if Leta Lestrange liked to read in a broken voice.

"I haven't been for a very long time," he answered honestly. "But I needed to forgive her. For both our sakes."

"Will you hate me if I don't?" Tina asked, pulling away and standing with her hands still resting on his shoulders.

"I couldn't hate you if I tried," He smiled. "Thank you for coming to my rescue. How did you know?"

"I may have to revise my opinion on Theseus," Tina admitted grudgingly. "He has been nothing but polite all day, and when he saw her come in, he came and got me. So, clearly he has a wiser head on his shoulders than I thought."

"Theseus always thought he was helping me," Newt said, "I tried telling you this last time we were here… he just goes about it the wrong way. Maybe this time, he went about it the right way."

"Maybe," Tina wrinkled her nose. "I suppose he has shown that he knows you a bit more than I thought he did."

"Yes," Newt agreed, "He knows that I need you."

"Sometimes Newt," Tina said with a laugh, "You say the sweetest things. And as much as I would love to not have to back out there and be called sweetheart all night, I think we had better get out from behind this column before people talk."

"People already talk," Newt whispered, not wanting to go back out there. "Do you mind?"

"No," Tina shrugged. "I love travelling with you, and if they want to find something to gossip about, they will. I expect they'll stop when its not quite so new and exciting."

"Yes…" Newt looked out to the ballroom and sighed deeply. "Come on, we'd better go and thank my brother for sending you to help."

He held out his arm and picked up his drink. Tina collected hers before looping her arm through his.

"Ready Miss Goldstein?" He asked.

"Are you, Mr Scamander?" She countered.

And together they walked back out to the ballroom, heads held high in defiance.

A/N So, this somehow took a life of its own. I wanted to have Leta meet Newt as a success. And then I really wanted Tina all defensive of Newt. But the actual interaction ended up being such a small part. And then Theseus appeared. I was going to have him as the aloof older brother, but I do expect he wants what is best for Newt, its just that his idea of 'best for' is narrow and restricted to what he thinks of society. So, this happened. Yeah… Hope you like, it's a lot less fluffy than my previous chapters. I like writing fluff though, so… I think the next chapter will be fluffy again.