Chapter 22

Newt bit the inside of his lip, schooling his face not to wince as Tina crushed the life out of his hand. He knew the pain she felt was much worse than his hand, but her grip. He breathed out as she relaxed, the contraction evidently passing.

Tina lay in the bed in the study, five hours into labor. Queenie sat on the opposite side of the bed from Newt. The smell of chocolate brownies wafted up the stairs.

Dumbledore's healer, the same one who'd helped repair Tina's torn placenta a few months ago, finished his examination under the sheet covering Tina's lower body. "Eight centimeters. This labor is progressing nicely. Just keep breathing through those contractions. I'm going to nip off for a cup of tea." He patted Tina's knee. "You're doing fabulously, my dear."

"Thank you," Tina whispered, her voice weak. Her head lolled back on the pillow. She practically fell asleep, exhausted.

Queenie glanced at Newt, then back at Tina. "Hey, Teen? I think Newt could use a break. Okay?"

"Mmm hmm." Tina didn't move.

Newt gave Queenie a thankful smile. Sometimes it wasn't all bad that she could read his mind. He extracted his hand, kissed Tina on the forehead, and headed downstairs. The healer sat at the table, stirring sugar into his tea. Dumbledore sat next to Theseus on the sofa.

Jacob, decked out in an apron and oven mitts, shoved a tray full of cookies into the oven. He pulled off the mitts and pointed at the plateful of brownies on the counter. "Freshly cut. Probably still warm."

Newt bit into one, moaning as the fudgy cake melted into his mouth. "Oh, Jacob, you are a master." He grabbed another one and went to sit on the bed across the room.

"Newt! We hear it's going well up there. How's Tina feeling?" Dumbledore asked.

"She's exhausted."

"Of course."

Theseus smiled. "I was just telling Dumbledore that there has not been a girl born into the Scamander bloodline for three generations. Our grandfather was an only child. Our father had two brothers, one who died young and the other also had two boys. So, think you'll break the pattern with a girl, brother?"

Newt shrugged, his mouth full of brownie.

Everyone glanced at the ceiling as Tina's crying escalated again.

"Better get back up there." Newt grabbed another brownie as he ran up the stairs. When he got in the room, he handed Queenie the brownie.

Her eyes lit up as she took a bite of the delicious confection.

Another hour passed, and Newt breathed a sigh of relief when the healer told them she dilated to nine centimeters. Not long now. Newt flexed his hand, wondering if Tina's grasp caused any permanent damage.

Queenie dozed in her seat as they entered the seventh hour of labor. Newt startled when she bolted upright, knocking the chair on the floor. "Oh, no! He's here! This can't be happening!" she screamed.

Three of the four men sitting downstairs suddenly appeared in the room, wands drawn. Jacob ran in through the doorway.

"What's happening?" Tina cried, all her exhaustion forgotten.

Queenie spun towards the window. "It's Grindelwald! He's come for the baby."

Silence filled the room for a moment. Then everyone seemed to talk at once.

"Are you sure? I thought you couldn't read his mind?" asked Tina.

"I can't! But Vinda Rosier is with him. I can read her mind."

Tina clutched at her abdomen protectively.

"Where is he? I'm going to kill him!" Theseus rushed to the window beside Queenie.

"Why would Grindelwald want Newt and Tina's baby?" the healer asked.

Dumbledore turned to his healer, his friend, who didn't know much about the circumstances surrounding Tina's pregnancy and the true reason she'd traveled through all those portkeys. "I'll have to tell you about it later. I just need you to get this baby delivered safely." Dumbledore turned to Newt and Theseus. "Let me talk to him. I may be able to talk some sense into him."

Theseus shook his head, but he had to relent when Newt nodded.

Tina cried out as another contraction hit her.

Dumbledore ran outside. They watched from the window, some of them using a hearing-enhancement spell to listen to him pleading for Grindelwald to let this insane pursuit go. Rosier, smirking, stood next to him.

Grindelwald refused. He pointed up at the window, calling for Newt to join him outside.

Newt paled, his stomach turning. He looked at Theseus. "What do I do?"

Theseus gripped his brother's arms. "We fight. We fight for your child. We can't let him win."

"Go!" Tina yelled through clenched teeth as she fought the pain of the contraction. "Protect our baby!"

Newt kissed her hand. "I love you." Then he sprinted down the stairs after Theseus, Jacob on his tail.

Theseus pulled open the door and he and Newt stepped outside. Newt made certain to shut the door tight. With their protection spells, Grindelwald wouldn't be able to get inside without an invitation.

Grindelwald spotted them exiting the house, and he laughed loudly. "The Scamander brothers. Pleasure to see you both again. Hey, Theseus, sorry your engagement didn't work out."

Newt saw the fire erupt in his brother's eyes. Theseus threw up his wand, blasting at Grindelwald.

Grindelwald jumped to one side, Rosier to the other side. Grindelwald still seemed merry, the smile never leaving his face. "Temper, temper. But I'm not here to talk to you anyway. I need to talk to Newt."

"There's nothing to discuss. You can't have my child."

As if to punctuate his statement, they all heard Tina screaming inside the house.

Grindelwald frowned. "But you must understand, I laid claim to that child before you even knew about it. You don't have to worry; I'll raise the baby as my very own, learning what is right and wrong between the magical and the inferior. The child will grow up by my side, ruling this world."

"No." Newt stated.

They froze. The cries of a newborn baby rang out through the air.

Then Queenie's voice followed. "It's a girl!"

Grindelwald's grin returned. "My daughter has been born! I'm naming her Penelope, after my mother."

Vinda Rosier clapped beside him. "Petticoats and pretty dresses!"

"She's not your daughter!" Newt shouted. He'd had enough of this talk with Grindelwald. "Her name is Leta, after a woman who dared to defy your hate and brutality. A woman you took away from us!"

Theseus looked at him, tears gathering in his eyes. "Thank you, Newt."

Jacob burst out the door. He raised the rifle and fired it directly at Grindelwald.

A startled look appeared on Grindelwald's face, but his wand twitched and the bullet stopped just inches from his forehead. It fell to the ground.

All hell broke loose.

Grindelwald tore the rifle out of Jacob's hands, and sent it flying across the street. It knocked Jacob down to his knees.

Theseus and Newt opened up on Grindelwald, blasting at him simultaneously. The dark wizard evaded them, zig-zagging toward the now open door.

Dumbledore streaked from the other side in an attempt to get in the door before Grindelwald. A wand blast hit him in the shoulder, spinning him around and flinging him to the ground.

"Dumbledore!" Newt shouted.

Dumbledore clambered back to his feet, waving at Newt to keep after Grindelwald. Then Dumbledore threw up a shield, blocking the next hex Rosier threw at him.

Grindelwald almost got to the door when Jacob pulled out two handguns from holsters at his hips. He fired repeatedly, forcing Grindelwald back several steps in order manifest a shield in front of him.

The bullets bounced off, sailing in all different directions. Theseus created a protective shield in front of Jacob just in time to avert two of the bullets from hitting him.

Newt yelled a "Confringo" at Grindelwald, who in turn created a huge gust of wind, knocking Newt and Theseus off their feet.

Jacob threw one of the guns at Grindelwald as he approached, which uselessly bounced away from him.

"Why do you No-Majs always think your guns and bombs are more powerful than magic?" He rotated his wand.

The remaining gun crumbled, twisting around Jacob's hand. Jacob screamed, clawing at the metal. He fell over on the ground.

Theseus blasted an "Impidimenta" at Grindelwald, aiming in front of him to slow him down and keep him from the door.

Grindelwald whirled around. "I WILL have that child!" With a wide sweep of his wand, he broke off a piece of the house from across the street and hurled it at Theseus.

Theseus ducked as the stone façade crashed over him.

Newt brought his arms up to protect his face from the flying debris. Then he reached in his pocket and brought out the swooping evil cocoon. It unfolded itself, lunging at Grindelwald, knocking his wand from his hand.

Grindelwald punched at the creature. He fell to his knees, sticking out his hand to summon his wand while still defending himself against the attacking beast with the other hand.

Newt glanced back at the pile of rubble, sighing in relief when he saw Theseus climbing on top of it. His brother was dirty, scrapped up, but otherwise unharmed. Then he jumped as a loud crack echoed through the air, looking back at Grindelwald as the swooping evil ascended away from him.

Grindelwald frowned, his eyebrows drawn together. He still sat on the ground, his wand three feet away. He pulled back his overcoat, watching as two spots of blood blossomed through his shirt. He coughed, blood spilling out of his mouth. Then he collapsed on his side.

Newt couldn't tell if he was alive or dead. He cautiously crouched down beside him.

Vinda Rosier screamed, catching sight of Grindelwald as she battled with Dumbledore. She apparated next to Grindelwald and pushed Newt away. Then she clasped onto Grindelwald's body and apparated away with him. Only blood stains on the ground marked where he'd lain.

Newt ran to Jacob, who still lay on the ground. Sweat streamed down his red face, his body trembling. He lowered the tiny pistol he'd used to shot Grindelwald. "Because guns can kill wizards too, you bastard." He then looked down at his other hand, still crushed by the deformed hand gun and turning purple around the wrist.

Newt immediately raised his wand, pulling the pieces of the gun off of Jacob's hand.

Jacob breathed a sigh of relief, even though his hand still appeared mutilated. He turned at the running footsteps rushing out the door.

"Oh, Jacob, your hand!" Queenie squealed. "I was so scared for you!"

Newt didn't stay for the rest of the conversation. He bolted inside and up the stairs. He almost crashed into the healer as the man walked out of the study.

The healer handed him a cigar. "You deserve this. Possibly more than any other father I've ever known." Then he walked downstairs.

Newt slipped the cigar in his pocket and strode into his study.

Tina sat up in the bed, mesmerized by the tiny bundle in her arms. She grinned ear to ear. "Newton Scamander, this is your daughter, Leta Scamander." Tina held the baby up for him.

Newt's heart swelled as he gathered up his daughter. She raised her tiny hand towards him. Strands of auburn hair curled out from under the blanket. He couldn't talk, he so was overwhelmed with emotion. After all the insane events of the past years, it had all culminated into this.

And she was perfect.

The End

Thanks so much for reading everyone! I had a lot of fun writing this story, especially since it has been a long time since I've written anything. Reviews are much appreciated.