Hello good people of FanFiction! Here is the extra long chapter you've been waiting for. I know it's August and Christmas is ages away but it fits with the timeline of the story okay? :)

Disclaimer: The parents' names are not original, I used the same names as PinkPunk010's Drizzle and Cycles of Sun (which, by the way, are both incredible fics, Drizzle has to be the best fanfiction I have ever read) purely because I felt they are the best names for them. Also when thinking of their characters I wanted to make the dad as British as I possibly could so if you're a Sherlock fan, think of John Watson in The Abominable Bride and you'll see what I was going for.

Once again thank you for all the reviews!

I had a lot of fun (and gave myself a case of the feels - you'll know when you get to it) while writing this chapter so I hope you love reading it as much as I loved writing it!

Newt pulled his overcoat tighter around himself as he approached the front door of the manor house in which he'd grown up. The wind was icy, and white specks of sleet peppered the fabric.

The front entrance of the manor alone was impressive. Silvery-grey stone steps lead up to two huge double doors flanked by equally huge stone columns. The doors themselves were made of polished mahogany and decorated with a gilded knocker in the shape of a hippogriff's head. The hippogriff was the family symbol, and it was the only thing that Newt really appreciated about his heritage. As he ascended the steps he pondered on how long it had been since he'd last been home – he was about to find out, as his mother would surely scold him for not contacting her.

He knocked thrice on the door and soon afterwards it was opened by his mother, wearing a white lace-edged apron over a black halter-neck gown. Her flaming red hair was pulled into an updo by a feather-shaped diamond clasp, and pearls hung around her neck. Her face broke into a huge grin when she saw her youngest son stood in front of her and she pulled him into one of her bone-crushing hugs (Pickett quickly and stealthily retreated into Newt's hair). "Newton! I haven't seen you for over a year! Why didn't you write to me? I've been worried sick!"

Newt laughed. It was nice to see his mother again, despite the fact he'd been correct about her scolding him. "It's good to see you too, mother. I do apologise for my lack of contact. I'm afraid I simply haven't had the time."

She pulled out of the hug and glared up at him (he was about five inches taller than her), but there was warmth in her eyes. "Not a good enough excuse. I expect regular owls, telling me where you are and what you're doing. I didn't receive a single one. Not one!"

"I'm sorry, mother, I really am. The job is surprisingly demanding."

She laughed now. "Oh, I understand, love. I've just been out of my mind with worry, especially after what happened in New York. Anyway, come on in, and bring that case! I'd like you to show me around later."

He smiled. "Gladly."

Christmas at the Scamander manor had always been a rather classy affair, and normally, Newt couldn't stand these sort of gatherings - much less those that involved his family. Although he rather enjoyed the company of his mother, he just didn't much care for the company of his father or Theseus. There wasn't even one which he particularly disliked being around – they were practically the same person.

Perseus Scamander was a tall, broad-shouldered man with short auburn hair speckled with grey and a matching moustache on his upper lip which, combined with the gold-rimmed monocle he wore on his left eye, made him look like he should be on an advertisement for an expensive brand of cigars. His suits were always perfectly pressed pinstripe or tweed, and the monocle's fine gold chain was attached to the breast pocket of his waistcoat. In his left hand he carried a walking cane made of glossed ebony and topped with a silver hippogriff head, which hid his wand. He was a very respected man in the magical community – formerly the head of the Magical Law Enforcement department – and so when he was in a room he had a very commanding presence. Theseus was very much the same, only younger and without the moustache, monocle and cane. This similarity to his father had made Theseus the senior Scamander's favourite child, and he hadn't made any effort to hide it. Perseus seemed to see Newt as his slightly odd second son who wouldn't be taught anything he, his father, deemed to be important. He'd been livid when Newt had been expelled from Hogwarts, thus meaning the once respected family were knocked from the Sacred Twenty-Eight pureblood British wizarding families*. He'd been even more livid when Newt could not have cared any less.

Mrs Scamander, however, had a personality that contrasted heavily with her husband's. Diana had, once, bred fancy hippogriffs and so shared Newt's interest in magical creatures – in fact she was the one credited with starting his interest in them. She was not quite as tall as her husband, but she carried herself with the elegant poise of an English aristocrat. Despite her elegant and high-class appearance, she was known for her warm, generous personality and was a very popular woman. She claimed she loved both her boys equally, but when they were growing up she had always had a soft spot for Newt, with his odd fascination with magical creatures and his insistence on helping with the hippogriffs from an early age. She had felt compelled to protect him from his father and Theseus, whom she felt bullied him somewhat for his difference to them. Sometimes she found she still had to – on the rare occasions that both her sons were actually home.

So on Christmas Day Newt found himself – somewhat reluctantly – sitting in the lounge with his father and Theseus, trying desperately to seem interested in a conversation he had no desire to partake in.

"So, Theseus, how goes it with the Americans?" Perseus said the word 'Americans' with such distaste it might as well have been a forbidden word. This alone annoyed Newt, but he dug his nails into his palm, the pain forcing him to focus and not draw his father's attention.

"Bloody Yanks." Was Theseus' response. "They won't listen to reason. First, they can't control their own Aurors," As he said this he cast a sly glance at Newt, who glared back at him. Theseus smirked. "And now they won't transfer Grindelwald. I mean, really."

"Well, this is the country that put a woman in charge of MACUSA." Perseus laughed, and Theseus joined him. Newt did not. While he didn't want to involve himself in the conversation, he also didn't want to sink to his father and brother's patronising and sexist level.

"It was a woman that lost it in the interrogation room." Theseus added with a smile and another glance at Newt. It was now that Newt realised what his brother was trying to do. He was constantly referencing Tina to get a rise out of him. Newt rolled his eyes inwardly – Theseus was supposed to be the older and more mature brother.

Perseus chuckled. "I'm not surprised. You know women, their emotions are all over the place." He moved a finger in a circle next to his ear to illustrate his point. "She probably couldn't handle coming face to face with Grindelwald." Then, for the first time since he'd arrived, Newt found his father looking at him. He tried his best not to look wide-eyed in surprise, although he wasn't sure how successful that was. "Say, Newton, what's your take on this? Or are you too busy with your zoo?"

Newt gritted his teeth. The worst thing you could call the case was a zoo. He could think of so many choice words to say to his father at that moment, but instead he put on his most reasonable voice. He didn't look his father or Theseus in the eye when he spoke. "First of all, father, as I've said many times, the case is not a zoo. Far from it. But in answer to your question, I think the Ministry should give MACUSA a chance."

Both Perseus and his elder son laughed incredulously. "I can't say I'm surprised. Spends a few days in New York and is already siding with the Americans." Theseus was still chuckling when he spoke, "Listen, Newton, I know politics isn't your language, but surely you understand that transferring Grindelwald to the Ministry would yield much better interrogation results?"

"No. The Ministry would not get any further than MACUSA has."

Before his father or brother could argue with him, Diana put her head round the door. "Dinner's ready!" She called, and instantly the three men were up and walking into the dining room. Newt could not get out of that room any faster.

The dining room at the manor consisted mainly of a long polished oak table with a sparkling chandelier overhead. The table was laden with food - the centrepiece being a golden glazed turkey surrounded with some kind of fruit garnish. Dishes filled with all the trimmings associated with an English Christmas dinner were scattered up and down the table – pigs in blankets, stuffing balls, roast potatoes, assorted vegetables, bone china jugs of gravy and several small bowls of cranberry sauce. 4 places were set at the table, with spotless silver cutlery, crisp white napkins and fluted wine glasses which, when the place was taken, filled with a sparkling elven wine and refilled each time the glass was empty. Floating cutlery served the various elements of the dinner onto the four plates, and the dinner started.

"Excellent cooking as always, mother." Theseus commented as he speared another piece of turkey on his fork. Diana always insisted on doing all the cooking herself as, in her words, another cook would simply ruin all her recipes.

Newt nodded in agreement as he sipped the wine. The only saving grace of visiting his family was the fact that his mother's cooking could not be beaten at any level. Although he did have to admit to himself that Queenie's cooking came extremely close.

"I'm glad you like it. I had to make it extra special, since both my boys are here for once." Diana smiled at both her sons sat next to each other opposite her.

"I always make the effort, mother." Theseus pointed out.

"Now, Theseus. Newton is a busy man. Traveling the world and whatnot." To Newt's surprise it was his father, speaking from the head of the table, that defended him. He tried not to let the surprise show on his face. Again.

"Yes, you must give us the first printed copy of your book, darling!" Diana was positively ecstatic about the idea of Newt's book coming out. Newt felt a tiny pang of guilt for lying to her, but he had to keep his promise to Tina.

"Of course, mother."

"Speaking of your travels, Newton, why don't you tell us about how you exposed and detained Grindelwald?" Theseus was clearly gearing up to continue the argument from earlier.

"Yes, I must admit I was impressed when I saw that in the paper. I didn't think you were that observant with people, Newton. How did you work it out?" Perseus added.

All three pairs of eyes were trained on Newt as he tried to think of an answer. He also tried not to react to the fact that his father, for the first time in his life, had praised him. And then insulted him, but he paid no thought to that. "There's nothing to tell, really. I only noticed in the subway when he wasn't really trying to hide his identity anymore."

"You exposed and then detained him, yet you think he should be kept in New York? Surely he should be transferred here, the home country of the man who captured him?" Theseus pointed out.

Diana rolled her eyes. "Not at the table, Theseus."

Theseus turned to her. "I do apologise, mother, but I'm simply trying to establish Newton's reasoning for his absurd opinion that Grindelwald should be kept in New York. If he were transferred to the Ministry we could get much more out of him."

Newt had sworn to himself that he wouldn't let Theseus get a rise out of him, but he'd had enough now. He turned and looked his brother right in the eye – something he didn't do very often, if at all. "I know you have a high opinion of yourself, Theseus, so this might come as a shock to you, but nobody can get anything out of him. It's impossible. You could do no better than Tina did." Instantly Newt regretted using Tina's name – now Theseus was going to tease him.

But instead Theseus looked stunned. "What do you mean, a high opinion of myself? It's called having a healthy dose of self-respect, you should try it."

"There's a difference between having a healthy dose of self-respect and outright vanity." Newt had actually wanted to say this to Theseus for a long time, but wasn't sure why he had thought now was the best time. He blamed the alcohol.

"Vanity? You're calling me vain now?"

"What kind of man carries a mirror in his jacket pocket and isn't vain?" When Theseus went to retort Newt continued, "I've seen you at Ministry events you forced me to attend, checking your hair was perfectly in place every five minutes."

"Excuse me, but when you're in a position as high as mine, your appearance has to be immaculate. Maybe you should follow my example."

"My profession doesn't require me to look good."

"I'd hardly call it a profession."

"ENOUGH!" Perseus' booming voice cut into the brothers' argument. Both of them turned to stare at him like a couple of rabbits in the headlights. "How old are you two again? You are grown men, and you're acting like children. I am disappointed in both of you. Now can we finish our dinner in a civilised manner?" No answer came and both his sons just looked at him apologetically. "Thank you."

They went back to eating in relative silence for a few minutes before Diana spoke up. "Wait a second, Newton, when you said Theseus couldn't question Grindelwald any better-"

"Which was quite frankly insulting." Theseus muttered under his breath, and got a glare from Perseus.

"Don't interrupt your mother. Honestly, Theseus, I raised you better than this."

When a small grin started to form on Newt's face in response to his brother being scolded Perseus turned on him. "You're no better, Newton, so you can stop laughing at him." Newt immediately switched to a neutral expression. Perseus turned to his wife. "Carry on, dear."

"You said that Theseus couldn't question Grindelwald any better than Tina. Is Tina the Auror that lost control in an interrogation?"

Theseus grinned and answered before Newt even had a chance. "Indeed, mother. Full name is Porpentina Goldstein – lost her job several months ago for exposing the magical community in an undercover operation, but has since been reinstated due to the insistence of a certain British wizard…"

"Newton? You got her reinstated?"

Newt felt himself blushing hard. He stared at the wall behind Diana as he replied. "Yes, mother. She helped me to detain Grindelwald. And not only that but she unfairly lost her job in the first place – she was demoted because she saw a young man being abused by his so-called mother in front of her. This same young man was the Obscurial that attacked the city of New York. If she had been allowed to help him, the Obscurial would never have caused the amount of destruction that it did."

All three of them looked utterly stupefied by this. Then Diana smiled. "I knew it."

Newt was genuinely confused. "What?"

"I knew you'd met a woman in New York. You would never defend just anyone like that, let alone get their job back for them."

"But I didn't tell you that..."

"I know. But I noticed something different about you as soon as you walked in the door, Newton. Call it a mother's intuition."

"With respect, mother, I don't-"

"Have feelings for her? Oh but you do, Newton, and it's incredibly sweet."

Theseus was loving this. "I can confirm that, mother. He's been writing to her."

Newt turned on Theseus, wide-eyed. "How-"

"The Ministry intercepted one of your letters."

Damn. "Did you-"

"Read it? No. I have no interest in the sordid details of your overseas love affair."

Now Newt knew his face was tomato red. "That is not what this is!"

Theseus laughed out loud. "Okay, okay. Maybe not yet. All in due course, I'm sure."

"Shut up, Theseus!"

"Alright, Theseus, stop winding him up. At least Newton has the decency to only write to one woman." Perseus cut in.

Theseus was speechless at his father's comment. Newt found himself smirking, then quickly hid it before his father turned on him.

Then the senior Scamander spoke again. "I'd like to meet her, Newton. She sounds like she's got guts."

Now it was Newt's turn to be stunned. He chose his next words carefully, and when he spoke he focused on a point over his father's right shoulder rather than looking him in the eye. "With respect, father, earlier you were saying how she couldn't handle coming face-to-face with Grindelwald."

Surprisingly Perseus stayed calm. "That was before I knew who it was in that interrogation. A woman who sacrifices her career for the good of someone else, and later goes face to face with the most dangerous wizard our world has ever known is an incredibly brave one."

"She certainly is very brave. And while I appreciate your approval, she and I are not actually an item. We're just friends."

His father chuckled. "All in good time, Newton. All in good time."

The rest of dinner passed quite amicably, and afterwards they all sat in the lounge with glasses of firewhisky and actually talked as a family. Something that had almost never happened. Presents were exchanged, and Newt showed his mother around the case. She had looked around in total amazement and had been speechless when Newt asked her what she thought. She fawned over the baby hippogriff Newt had delivered just a week prior, and they spent quite a few happy hours down there before going back into the house for more drinks. Overall Newt found, to his immense surprise, that he had actually enjoyed spending time with his family. But they had consumed rather a lot of alcohol between them - which, come to think of it, was probably his mother's plan all along.

At the end of the evening Newt and Theseus bid their parents goodnight and started up the grand staircase in the entrance hall of the manor house. It's gilded banisters and rich crimson carpet screamed luxury and Newt thought of how he'd always been of the opinion that the family home was far too ostentatious.

As he and Theseus were heading upstairs to their respective rooms, Newt remembered his father's words at the dinner table. "So, Theseus, that moment at dinner must have been the first time father has ever been disappointed in you. Now you know how I felt my whole childhood."

Theseus turned and stared at him but didn't say anything. So Newt grinned as they reached his bedroom door. "Imagine how disappointed he'd be if he found out that you're not just writing to more than one woman, if you know what I mean."

Theseus' eyes widened. "You wouldn't dare."

"Well, that depends. Mention Tina one more time and I might just let it slip...goodnight." With a laugh he disappeared into his room and shut the door, leaving Theseus staring after him.

It had been years since Newt had been inside his childhood bedroom, and he gazed around with a nostalgia he had not felt in a long time. Like all the bedrooms in the house, the walls and ceiling were ivory white and the carpet was a rich burgundy, but the walls were still covered in sketches and memorabilia. Above his bed in the centre of the room, his first Hufflepuff scarf from his very first year at Hogwarts was draped along the wall. Some of his first sketches were in this room (mostly of his mother's hippogriffs) and they hung in various places on the wall and on the outside of the wardrobe. On looking inside the wardrobe Newt found his old Hogwarts robes still hanging there, along with his Quidditch jersey. He ran a hand along the cable-knit woollen sleeve and along the back where his name was printed. The jersey had been (for some reason) far too big for him at the time, so it would probably fit if he tried it on now. As he closed the wardrobe and turned to find his old oak desk still sat under the window and still covered in half-finished sketches, dried-up inkwells, quills and several pieces of charcoal. He wondered why his mother hadn't come in and cleaned it.

Then he slowly made his way to the bedside table. The oak surface was stained with dark rings from having several mugs of tea set upon it over the years, and another pile of sketches were neatly stacked in a corner of it. The only other thing on this bedside table was a photograph. This photograph had been taken at the beginning of Newt's sixth year at Hogwarts – the year he got expelled. In the photo, he was with Leta on Platform 9¾. Both were in their Hogwarts robes, wearing their respective house scarves, and both of them were smiling and laughing. He picked up the photo and ran a thumb over the black and white face of his younger self, who grinned up at him while subconsciously running a hand through his hair. Back then he was even more freckly and gangly than he was now. He could see that his robes were far too short, but in the photo he didn't seem to care. He also saw the way he was looking at Leta. Like he'd never seen someone so beautiful in his life.

Quickly he slammed the photo into a nearby drawer – he refused to let himself get too caught up in the past, especially after what Leta had done. He remembered the way he had followed her around like a lost puppy; hanging off her every word, doing whatever she said – even if it meant getting expelled for her. She was well out of his league both then and now – the only difference now was that his feelings for her had burned out a long time ago. He knew now that she had been well aware of his feelings toward her and had used them to her advantage – she'd had him wrapped around her little finger. After he'd been expelled, she had written to him telling him she didn't want any more contact and that she'd never reciprocated his feelings toward her. When that happened, he'd promised himself that he'd never fall in love again. He was content to spend his days as a social recluse, traveling to the most remote corners of the world with his case full of magical creatures. After all, it meant he could do what he loved and avoid a repeat of the heartbreak he had experienced as a teenager. But now he could feel himself falling in love again. Tina Goldstein had thrown herself into his life and had unlocked feelings he hadn't felt for another person for a long time. But he wasn't even sure if she felt anything back. And he wasn't taking that risk again.

Several days later, on the morning of New Year's Eve, Newt was woken by a tapping on his window. In his tired state he mistook it for knocking on his door and groaned sleepily. "I'll be down in a minute, mother." When there was no answer he sat up, looking around for the source of the noise. It took him a while to work out that the tapping was on his window, and when he did he was up and opening the window to let Herbert fly in.

He cleared his desk of its drawing tools and placed the letter down on it, drinking in Tina's words. And when he'd finished reading, he went back and read it again. And again. And again. Until each and every syllable was committed to memory. It was only when he felt he had memorised her words enough that he allowed himself to think about what they meant.

Although her reasoning for not telling him about the incident was actually rather sweet of her, he still couldn't help but feel the tiniest bit annoyed. Her not wanting him to worry was pointless – he'd always worry about her, despite his 'worrying means you suffer twice' mantra. Besides, he would rather hear it from Tina than from anyone else. Not wanting him to think she'd wasted her chance at the job was also pointless. If she'd lost her job again, he would've fought for her to get it back. It didn't matter how many times he had to do it.

Grindelwald had threated people she cared about. He selfishly wondered if he was one of those people. As a friend, perhaps, but even so, what could Grindelwald possibly want with him? He didn't see how he could be any use to the darkest wizard of all time. But obviously, by people she cared about, she meant Queenie. She couldn't mean him.

He smiled when she said that she didn't know why she was getting her job back. His sneaking into Theseus' office and forging a letter from him had worked (and, even better, his brother hadn't noticed). He'd thought that his plan would surely fail since Theseus had then sent another letter to MACUSA. He was both surprised and pleased with himself, but he decided that he wouldn't tell her what he'd done. She was a smart woman - she'd be able to see right through him and know that he had feelings for her. The truth was, when Newt had made the decision to forge the letter from Theseus, he hadn't given it a second thought. He was going to make sure Tina kept her job no matter what. And she couldn't know that.

It broke his heart a little when she suggested that the creatures were only missing Queenie as she was the more charming one. While he admitted that Queenie was beautiful and, in general, a very warm and charming person, it was Tina who had made a bigger impression on him. She wasn't classically beautiful like her sister, but she was, to him, more beautiful than Queenie for precisely that reason. Not to mention that she had charmed her way into his thoughts in her own roundabout way.

Then he turned his attention to the small cardboard box that had come with the letter. As Tina had mentioned, it contained several Turkish delights – bite-sized pink jelly-like cubes absolutely covered in powdered sugar. He grinned even more. When he'd visited the Middle East on his travels, he'd developed a love of Turkish delights, so he dismissed Tina's 'don't eat them if you don't like'. What he didn't know was why the Goldstein sisters had included him in their tradition. Maybe this was Tina's way of telling him she felt something for him. He mentally kicked himself. Stop being so selfish. It was just a gesture of goodwill for the holiday season. He was glad Pickett was somehow still asleep in the breast pocket of his pyjamas, because he knew he would try to tell him otherwise.

He decided to close the box and save the delights for later today, and just as he did there really was a knock on the door. Quickly he hid the letter and the box inside his desk and let Herbert out of the window again, so he could rest in the manor's owlery on the floor above. When he opened the door, as expected, he found his mother stood outside his bedroom dressed in an old blouse and linen trousers – clearly she'd been out with the hippogriffs. "Late breakfast is ready." she told him with a smile, "I made your favourite. Full English with extra hash browns."

He couldn't help but smile back – Diana had one of those smiles that was utterly infectious. That and the fact he was starving. "Thank you, mother. I'll be down in a moment."

"You've had plenty of moments to get yourself up, Newton." She sounded stern, then she laughed, "But I understand that you have creatures to see to. Be down in ten minutes."

Newt didn't have a chance to start his reply until the evening, as it was the family new year's tradition to sit around the drawing room eating, drinking tea and playing endless rounds of wizard's chess and various other games. Newt had rarely enjoyed this tradition, and normally he was content to sit by himself and watch. This time, however, he joined in on his mother's insistence and found he rather enjoyed it. Theseus didn't say a word about Tina or MACUSA, and neither did his parents. He spent ages wondering why Theseus wasn't winding him up, and then he remembered. In his slightly drunken state he had threatened to reveal all of Theseus' liaisons with various women if he mentioned Tina again. Secretly he congratulated himself on finally having something over his brother. He'd never really cared, but since it saved him some embarrassment, he was grateful for it.

When he finally managed to get away, see to the creatures and write the letter, it read:

31st December 1926

Dear Tina,

I am nothing if not a man of my word, so of course your book will be signed and delivered to you in person.

While I understand why you didn't tell me of the Grindelwald incident, I must tell you this, and I speak as a close friend. The truth is I will always worry about you. I know I'm always saying that worrying means you suffer twice, and I still stand by that, but your job is dangerous, even more so since you're leading the interrogations. So keeping secrets from me so I won't worry is pointless. I would much rather hear what happened from you than hear about it through someone else – especially my brother. He has a tendency to exaggerate.

I would never think for a second that you had wasted your second chance at your job. And even if you had lost your job again, I would fight to get it back for you. You're too good an Auror for MACUSA to dismiss you. But I am, of course, extremely relieved that you have been allowed to keep your job. Madam Picquery clearly made the right decision.

Please don't dismiss the idea that you have made quite an impression on my creatures. You might think otherwise, but I think you're just as charming as your sister, if not more so.

I have, over the last few days, been spending Christmas with my family for the first time since I went traveling. Normally I don't particularly enjoy it, if only because the family home is rather ostentatious and so gatherings like this have an unnecessary amount of formality. This is coupled with the fact that I have to try to socialise with my father and Theseus, who are more or less the same person. This year, to my surprise, I found that overall I rather enjoyed myself. But I did consume rather a lot of alcohol on Christmas day, which may have been my mother's plan the whole time. It would not surprise me. I do hope that you had a lovely day yourselves, and I look forward to hearing about it.

Thank you very much for the Turkish delights. I actually developed a love of them while on my travels in the Middle East, so I have eaten a few already, and might I say they are quite delicious. But I am still staying at the family home, and my mother is also partial to Turkish delights, so I will have to hide them from her if I want to have any left. I appreciate you including me in your Christmas tradition, and I feel somewhat guilty that I cannot do the same in return, so I have enclosed two small gifts for you and Queenie.

Happy New Year,

Newt

*I don't actually know if Newt's expulsion lead to the family being knocked out of the Sacred Twenty-Eight, or if they were even in it in the first place, but I wrote it because it gives more insight into the character.

I hope you enjoyed the chapter and please do favourite and follow if you like the story and you want to see where it goes!

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Peace!