HELLOOOOO! I am so so sorry for my inactivity recently, I have been so busy recently and even when I wasn't I had a severe case of writer's block with this chapter. I knew what I wanted to write but I didn't know how and I just had no motivation and ugh (I'm sure you writers can relate). But, after almost a month, here is chapter 7! I'm not entirely happy with this chapter and I'm not sure why but thank you to everyone that reviewed the last one and I hope you guys enjoy!

Newt had not agreed to this.

He peered out from behind the screen separating him from the multitudes of people crowded inside Flourish and Blotts. He'd never seen Diagon Alley's bookshop so full, not even on the 31st August when every Hogwarts student was rushing to buy their textbooks for the new year at the last minute. He hated crowds at the best of times, so when his publisher (Augustus Worme of Obscurus Books) had told him he'd organised a 'small, quiet signing' at Flourish and Blotts a few days after his book was released, he had stupidly believed him and gone along with it. He couldn't even make out individual faces – everyone's features seemed to merge into each other. Or maybe that was just his nerves.

The last time he'd seen crowds like this was in the hustle and bustle of New York City. And in those crowds, in the first few minutes of arriving in New York, was where he had first seen Tina. He could still picture the moment so vividly. She'd had the collar of her signature grey trench coat turned up in an attempt to look inconspicuous, and was trying to eat a hot dog at the same time – which had given her a mustard moustache. Later on, after the Niffler incident at the bank, she had shoved him against a wall in a back alley and arrested him for breaching the International Statute of Secrecy. He found himself smiling fondly at the memories, but quickly wiped it off his face in case his publisher mistook it for excitement at the prospect of signing multiple copies of his book for hundreds of people he'd never met and would probably never meet again.

Peering back around the screen at the crowds, he found himself scanning the multiple faces – which had now come into focus - for Tina. He knew she wouldn't be there – how could she be? She was on the other side of the Atlantic, and he hadn't told her anything about the signing so she wouldn't even know it was happening. But seeing her face in the claustrophobic crowds of New York had given him some kind of reassurance. So, since he found himself in front of a crowd now, he tried to look for that same reassurance. When he didn't find it he felt the knot in his stomach tighten with nerves.

He was so focussed on his nerves that he didn't hear his cue and had to be ushered on stage as he brought himself back to the present. At least you don't have to do a speech he thought – that was the one good thing about this signing. He looked up as he sat down at the table set up at the back of the shop - stacked with display copies of the book and laden with a selection of self-inking quills – and saw that the crowd, previously chattering away, had gone silent and were all looking at him intently as if they expected him to say something. But after a moment the chatter started again and the stampede towards him began.

He didn't see her to begin with.

It was only when he heard her voice say hello to him. He'd recognise that voice anywhere. It was a siren-like voice that still sounded the same as it had all those years ago, and it sent a chill down his spine as it always had. But this time it was for a different reason.

He looked up from the table as she gave him her copy of the book. He didn't have to ask her name. "Leta." he murmured by way of greeting. He couldn't bring himself to meet her eyes. Not after what she did.

"I've missed you, Newt." she said perfectly pleasantly, but he knew all too well that all she was trying to do was get back into his life to manipulate him again. Leta was the reason he had lost trust in people altogether.

"Why would you miss me? I thought you didn't want any more contact." He shot back coolly as he handed the book back to her. He still didn't look her in the eye.

"Oh come on, Newt, use your brain. I was forced to write that letter. After you were expelled my father made me cut ties with you because your family were thrown from the Sacred Twenty-Eight."

"I don't believe you."

"I'm sorry?" she sounded incredulous.

This time he looked her in the eye. She looked exactly the same as she always had, just older now. She still had the same caramel skin, the same dark curling hair, and the same obsidian eyes. He forced himself to focus on her as he spoke, with more conviction than he'd ever used in his life. "I said I don't believe you. You 'cut ties' with me of your own accord. You chose not to see me again, and I accepted that."

She tucked the book into her coat pocket and looked at him again. There was still that classic Leta spark in her eyes and smirk on her face – as if his words amused her. "I see somebody's moved on. But I'm not worried, my Newt. You haven't seen the last of me." With that she swept away from the table with a swish of her emerald velvet coat and left the shop. She paused by the window to look at him one last time, and while he felt her gaze on him, even through the shop window on the other side of the room, he couldn't look at her. I'm not yours anymore he thought scathingly before snapping himself out of it and getting back to the signing.

He never signed her book.

The rest of the signing went well – it was mostly mothers with small children who purchased the book to find out how to rid their house of bundimuns and their gardens of gnomes, some of whom informed him that their children wanted to be like him when they grew up. This made him smile genuinely for the first time in days. It was heartwarming to know that he'd made an impression on the children of the wizarding world. And if you teach the children, they'll teach their parents.

He finally returned home at eight o'clock that evening, after stopping at his favourite muggle fish and chip shop for, well, fish and chips. And a cup of tea, of course. Immediately upon entering his flat he descended into the case to settle the creatures for the night.

He'd nearly finished his rounds when he felt something brush against his leg. He chuckled. "Dougal, I know that's you."

He glanced down as Dougal materialised next to him and tugged at the fabric of his trousers. Newt knelt so he was eye level with the Demiguise and spoke softly. "What is it, old chap?"

In reply Dougal only motioned his head back towards the shed ever so slightly, and Newt could've sworn that he saw the Demiguise's eyes flash blue. Confused, Newt headed back to the shed and to his disbelief he heard a faint tapping coming from the lounge above. Hastily he climbed the ladder and as he did the tapping became louder and louder. Clambering awkwardly out of the case he realised the tapping was coming from the window and bolted to let Herbert in. The eagle owl landed on the coffee table and Newt hastily untied Tina's letter.

As per usual he drank in her words, and only allowed himself to think of their meaning when he'd memorised the whole thing. The fact she'd liked the quills made him smile – he had taken a real shot in the dark with that and just sent them in the hope that she would like them. Then he reached the end of that paragraph. The words dear friend were like a stab in the heart. He knew that he was no better, since he had called himself her 'close friend' in his last letter. But it still hurt. He had had no choice but to write that – he was not risking revealing his feelings toward her. She couldn't know. At least not in a letter.

He chuckled when she suggested that he and Theseus had been civil over Christmas, and decided to clarify that in his reply. But as he re-read about the Ministry's investigation of MACUSA his lighthearted mood turned into bitterness and rage towards his older brother - so much so that he had to fetch himself a glass of firewhisky to calm down. Theseus was absolutely trying to get Tina fired. Newt could understand if he simply questioned her about her actions in the interrogation, but having her followed around as she tried to work was definitely more likely to put her off, thus making her seem distracted and giving Theseus an excuse to influence Picquery into firing her. Newt knew his brother didn't trust Tina – mostly because she was an American female Auror and Theseus was incredibly British and very sexist – but this was ridiculous. It definitely sounded like Theseus was determined to get his way and would stop at nothing to get it - he wasn't used to not having his own way because their father had spoilt him rotten, much to Newt's disdain. Not because he wanted to be spoilt himself, but because it turned Theseus into a spoilt brat. And he would have no problem telling his brother that to his face should the need arise. He did allow himself to smile a very small smile when he read that Theseus couldn't actually give the order to move Grindelwald. His brother wouldn't like that, which meant that Newt liked it very much – as was the case with a lot of things.

His anger at his brother was instantly lifted when he re-read about Tina's drunken antics on New Year. His own New Year had been somewhat alcohol-fuelled (he had been dragged to the Ministry New Year party as was tradition) and, since their parents had left just after midnight, had resulted in Newt – who hadn't exactly been sober himself - having to guide an absolutely hammered Theseus to the nearest inn. But nothing that happened to him (at least he didn't think so) could ever come close to Tina kidnapping a pigeon and naming him Mr Flappy. He laughed out loud at that. Especially the fact that said pigeon had still not left the sisters' apartment.

He then had to debate how he was going to write his reply. Should he tell Tina about his encounter with Leta or not? How would Tina react? He feared she would think it was something it wasn't and stop contacting him altogether. But if he didn't tell her she would, no doubt, find out later on and think him the biggest hypocrite on earth, as he told her not to keep secrets from him. He had no idea which one he dreaded more.

In the end he decided that if she found out later on, at least he would know. If he told her now and she misinterpreted it and subsequently stopped contacting him, he would worry something had happened to her.

Several minutes later, his reply went something like this:

10th January 1927

Dear Tina,

I am immensely glad you and Queenie liked your quills – they are genuine Fwooper feathers, which are very nice to write with. I'll be honest, I was worried you weren't going to like them. The Turkish delights have long gone – I very much enjoyed them and, even better, mother never found out about them.

I wouldn't exactly say Theseus and I were completely civil over Christmas. We had a fair few small arguments – we don't exactly share the same opinions. We got on better than we have most years, though, so that's something I guess. You never caused any trouble between us – believe me, Theseus and I have been disagreeing with each other since I learned to talk.

It would seem that Theseus is trying to make life as difficult as possible for you. It is completely unfair of him to have you be the only person that is shadowed. I have heard about the results of the investigation (Theseus made a point of calling me to his office just to tell me), but I will not disclose them here just in case this letter is intercepted. What I will say, though, is that as the youngest, who watched his older brother get spoilt rotten by his father, it is wonderful to hear that Theseus can't do a thing to get Grindelwald transferred. He will not like it at all, and it will be very entertaining to watch him not get his own way for the first time in his life.

It sounds as if you had a rather fun evening on New Year. I don't think anything that has happened to me while drunk could quite compare to kidnapping a pigeon and naming him Mr Flappy. Are you feeding him? Because if so, that's the reason he's not leaving. I stand by my naming choice for Frank – he looked like a Frank. And I wasn't drunk when I named him.

My New Year was pretty uneventful, I was dragged to the Ministry New Year's party by my parents and Theseus (as is tradition in my family) and the most exciting thing that happened was me – I was rather under the influence as well, so to speak – having to drag an extremely drunk Theseus to the nearest inn at an ungodly hour.

I am very glad that you enjoyed your Christmas, and I have since found out that my suspicions were correct and mother did indeed plan to get me drunk – my father of all people told me before I left to go back to my flat last week.

As I'm sure you know by now, my book was released at the beginning of the week. I had to go to a signing today at London's wizarding bookshop Flourish and Blotts. I've never seen the place so crowded. My publisher told me it was going to be a small affair, but alas, no. I was in that bookshop for six hours without a break (however when it did finally finish, the long hours spent in that shop gave me an excuse to get fish and chips and a cup of tea). While I am not fond of crowds, as you know, it was rather lovely to hear of all the children I have already influenced with Fantastic Beasts, even just a few days after it's release. As the saying goes – if you teach the children, they'll teach their parents.

I hope that all goes well and that you can get back to the interrogations – do not let my brother and his idiotic, arrogant ways slow you down.

Best wishes

Newt

While rereading his letter he felt guilt twist in his stomach at his deliberate omission of the encounter with Leta, but if Tina was going to stay in touch with him he didn't have a choice but to leave it out. He would tell her in person. But even then the fear that she wouldn't trust him was there. Quit worrying, Scamander. After all, it only makes you suffer twice. Cross the bridge when you come to it.

He sent the letter without a second thought.

With the Leta encounter - I know that it's been said by the directors that Newt is still very much in love with her in the second film, but I prefer to write it this way.

If you enjoyed this chapter and want to read more, hit the follow button to get an email when I update (and hit the favourite button too if you like).

Please please PLEASE review if you can, it would really be appreciated!

Hopefully there won't be too much of a wait for the next chapter but I can't guarantee anything. Updates from me in general will probably be a lot more irregular now because I start uni soon and my friend I'm writing this with is back at college.

Peace!