Author's Note: HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Thanks all for the kind words! Here's the next chapter!
"So…you are Tina Goldstein?" Isadora said.
Tina nodded. She didn't know what else to do. She and Isadora were standing back, waiting while Newt discussed Bowtruckles with a woman in an enormous hat. Pickett stood on Newt's shoulder and modeled proudly while Newt patiently answered the woman's questions.
"He went to a lot of trouble to make sure that he saw you," Isadora said.
Tina nodded again. "Yes," she gave a small smile.
"Your face turns the same delightful shade of pink when you talk about Newt that he turns when he speaks of you."
Tina's hands reflexively moved to her face.
"I think it's just divine," Isadora said conspiratorially. "You and Newt," she smiled.
"Well…"
"So you two are an item and it's so adorable," Isadora told Tina. "See, look at the smile when he glances at you."
At that moment, both ladies saw Newt look over to them. He smiled and moved back to face the woman in the hat.
"I have taken the liberty of booking an additional room for you at the hotel. I understand that you will be joining us on the remainder of the tour," Isadora told Tina.
"If it's not too much trouble, I don't want to be any trouble," Tina said quickly. "Otherwise, I will be on my way back to New York."
Isadora laughed loudly and every eye turned toward her, including those belonging to Newt. He winked and turned back to Tina.
"Oh, you're almost too precious for words, my darling Tina," Isadora said. "But, of course, you'll be staying with Newt. All the preparations have been made. All of the preparations have been made. All of the details ironed out. And I do believe Newton said you work for MACUSA?"
"Yes, I'm an Auror for MACUSA. And I was granted certain dispensation to travel with Newt so I can learn about the care of Magical Creatures."
"Sounds to me like your President thought it an excellent idea to keep the pair of Scamander and Goldstein together."
"I suppose so."
A moment of silence passed between the two women before they were joined by Newt and Pickett. Pickett smiled and waved at Tina before jumping from Newt's hand to Tina's.
"Why hello there, Pickett," Tina said, shaking his leafy hand with her index finger.
"That woman wants to begin a Bowtruckle conservation garden within the Tuileries," Newt said excitedly. "Wouldn't that be something?" he smiled.
Tina couldn't help but return that smile. The excitement was infectious.
"That's terrific," Tina said. "Had she seen a Bowtruckle before?" she asked.
"She said a Bowtruckle had saved her life some odd years ago. She did not elaborate, but she wished to do something so the creatures had a safe habitat."
"I'll make sure Marcus gets the information from her so we can contact her when your tour has finished," Isadora said, hurrying off.
"She's a bit…" Newt said.
Tina nodded. "She is…yes," Tina smiled. "But it all comes from a place of caring. She really does care about you."
Newt offered a disinterested oh in response.
"Ms. Fanson said that I'm getting a room booked. It seems we're staying in Paris tonight," Tina said.
Before Newt could reply, two more women came up with their copies of Fantastic Beasts for him to sign them. He smiled graciously, but wasn't totally connecting with them.
He thanked them gratefully, but he failed to notice their blushing when he wished them well.
"You certainly are an interesting man, Newt Scamander," Tina said.
"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" he asked her.
Tina's face broke into a smile. "A good thing, most definitely. A very good thing."
"I am glad to hear that," he said, a relieved look on his face.
"She scurried off before I could ask; where are we headed next for your tour?" Tina asked.
"I do believe we're due for London in the next days. I am not sure when exactly, though," Newt said.
"London? Will you show me around? Where you grew up?" Tina asked.
Newt rubbed the back of his neck as he formulated his response. "Well, I daresay I must if we're in London. But I also have to tell you – warn you, really – that my parents aren't that thrilled that I was kicked out of Hogwarts and am now writing a book. But I suppose if I'm making a trek to Flourish and Blotts, I will have to tell them about it."
"I am sure that your parents are incredibly proud of you. And we cannot very well go back to your home and not see your parents, can we? Don't you think it would hurt their feelings?" Tina said to Newt.
"Perhaps that would be a discussion to be had a later time," Newt replied.
Tina finally caught on. "Of course," she smiled.
Newt reached out and kissed her on the cheek. It was a quick little peck, but left the both of them smiling.
"The two of you…so precious," Isadora said as she joined them again. "Marcus, my assistant, was going to get that woman with the hat some information for the Bowtruckle conservation group," she continued. "And we need to go celebrate."
"Celebrate? Celebrate what?" Newt said.
"See that man with the copy of Fantastic Beasts?" Isadora pointed across the room.
Newt followed the woman's gesture. "Yes, I see that," he nodded.
"That copy is the last copy in the store," Isadora told the two of them. "Mr. Scamander, you have sold out today. You sold all the French copies of your book. How does that sound to you?"
Newt's eyes went wide as the thought sunk in. "Sold out?"
Isadora nodded. "Indeed. Sold. Out. All gone. Poof! C'est tout! You are a terrific success, Mr. Scamander. Just like I knew you would be. I hope you have a plan for Volume Two."
"Oh, Newt! I am so happy for you!" Tina gushed.
He smiled shyly. "You're certain. It's sold out."
"Well, I am certain that I don't have a single copy left, sir," Isadora told him. "And believe me, I had plenty to start with. Well, maybe not… So, dinner on me to celebrate!" she clapped.
Tina attempted to stifle her yawn; she did not want to hold up Newt and Isadora. It was very important that he celebrate. But Newt saw the yawn and he was feeling the same way.
"Oh, I should think…" Newt began.
"You two should go," she smiled. "You two can go and celebrate and I can feed your menagerie," Tina said.
"Oh, I can't ask you to do that," Newt told her.
"You didn't ask me to do anything. I offered," Tina said. "I really think you and Isadora should go to celebrate your success. I'm a bit tired and I don't want to hold you up. You can trust your creatures to me. I promise."
"You heard your gal there," Isadora said. "Let's get you checked into the hotel and you and I will find a decent place to find a meal in this city," Isadora said.
"I suppose that shouldn't be too difficult," Tina said.
Isadora nodded at the two of them. "Follow me, please."
She began to move down the sidewalk and both Newt and Tina gave each other a look before hurrying to catch up with her.
Newt was not certain of this plan. He didn't want to leave Tina alone in a hotel in a strange city with his responsibilities, especially when he went to dinner. He was incredibly touched that she would let him go out to celebrate. But he really didn't feel like going out. And Tina had a long, difficult day, too. He just could not ask her to do all that for him.
"Tina," Newt said as he quickly kept pace with her. "I don't much feel like going out to dinner. And especially if you won't be going," he said.
Tina felt a pang of guilt. She had not meant to make him feel bad about the whole thing.
"Newt, I'm certain I can figure out the feeding and you need some time off…"
"I invited you to come with me, not take care of the creatures in the case or to sit alone in hotel rooms. I would feel terrible abandoning you," Newt said.
"So you weren't thinking that I was going to run off with the case while you were out enjoying your celebratory dinner?" Tina joked.
"Of course not!" Newt laughed. "Besides, I would think most inhabitants would be grateful for the change. And Pickett, well I'm absolutely certain that he is also utterly smitten with you."
"Also?"
"Well, he's not the only one smitten. I daresay I'm smitten as well," Newt said. He and Tina were both blushing in the rapidly growing darkness. "I think today has been a long day for the both of us. I do believe that we should simply turn in for the evening," Newt said to her. "Isadora!" he called.
The woman ahead of them finally stopped and she waited for the two of them to catch up to her. She tapped her foot impatiently as she waited.
"What can I do for the lovely couple?" she asked.
There was an awkward beat.
"Would it be possible to postpone the celebration? We've all had a terribly long day and…"
They were interrupted by an owl swooping down and dropping an envelope into Tina's hands.
"Oh, dear," she said, flipping it over in her hand. It had the MACUSA symbol on it. "This is most likely not good. Not good at all…"
"C'mon, we need to get to somewhere you can read that in the light," Newt said. "Don't worry," he said.
"The hotel is right up the street," Isadora said. "We should get moving," a touch of sadness in her voice.
"After you, then," Newt said.
Isadora nodded curtly and started back down the street again. Newt held his case in one hand and put his other hand on her back to guide her down the street. She clutched the MACUSA letter.
"Is that a Howler?" Newt whispered under his breath as they walked along.
"It doesn't feel like a Howler, but I'm sure if I don't open it up soon we'll all know," Tina said.
He nodded. "Let us hurry along, then."
…
Less than half an hour later, Tina Goldstein was seating on the end of the bed in her hotel room. One, she'd never stayed in a hotel before, and two, she had a very official letter from MACUSA in her hand and it was making her more anxious.
Newt was in a room to the left and Isadora was across the hall. It was a nice room, even though she had nothing to compare it to.
Tina suspected that the letter was not a good one. It hadn't been long enough to check in on the progress she'd made, so it had to be about the portkey, or the No-Maj using the portkey, or maybe even the fact that Queenie had run off with said No-Maj. It could be one of those thing but she highly suspected it was all three of them.
Tina moved to open the envelope and she was stopped because there was knock on her door. Still holding the MACUSA letter tightly, she moved to the door.
"Hello?" Tina asked through the green painted door.
"It's, uh, Newt Scamander. I just…" he said through the other side of the door.
"Hold on," she said, bewitching the several locks that she had locked magically.
"How is your room?" Newt asked.
"It's nice," Tina said.
"And your letter from MACUSA? Good news, I do hope," Newt said.
"I'm too afraid to open it," Tina said. "But it hasn't begun to shout at me, so that's a good sign, right?" Tina told him.
"I suppose so," he said.
"I need to open this, don't I?" Tina asked.
He nodded. "I do believe so," he said.
Newt sat down in the chair in the corner and Tina sat back on the edge of the bed and wasted no more time. She unceremoniously ripped open the envelope. Tina read through the letter once and then read through it again. She sighed deeply before looking up to Newt.
"Oh, dear."
"Not good news, then?" Newt said. "You don't have to share if you…"
"Madame Picquery has caught wind of Jacob's accidental use of the portkey and apparently it has not gone over well," Tina said. "And that is putting it lightly."
"Has she given any instruction for the…situation?" he asked.
"She says she thinks Queenie arranged for it to happen," Tina said.
"What does that mean?" Newt asked her.
Tina bowed her head and stared at her folded hands in her lap. "Queenie is now a wanted witch. And she's holding me responsible for finding her."
…
A/N: let me know what you think!