Chapter Five
The Letter

Their Christmas afternoon was very different from their Christmas Eve. It was spent lazily, with a warm fire and hot drinks while music played from the radio on the mantle. Newt would have changed nothing about it. Being with his friends gave him a different feeling than the one he experienced being around magical creatures. It was a sensation he was still trying to understand, but he knew he liked it. Neither Hogwarts and its many students nor the Ministry and all its employees had ever provided him with what he'd found in Tina, Queenie, and Jacob.

Newt sipped his tea with a smile upon his face. He wasn't looking at anyone or anything in particular, his gaze merely wandered with his mind; Tina noticed though.

"What is it?" she asked, one eyebrow arched slightly.

His head swayed back and forth a little. "Nothing," he murmured, meeting her gaze. "I'm just happy is all."

Neither of them looked away from each other until a flutter at the window broke their gaze.

"That's odd, we don't usually get mail on Christmas, do we?" Tina asked her sister.

Queenie hopped up to retrieve the letter from the owl's beak as it perched outside the window on the ledge. The bird looked exhausted when it flitted into the room from the window. She thanked the bird – feeding it a crust of bread and patting it gently on its head.

"It's for Newt," she said, reading the envelope.

The wizard quickly got to his feet – almost spilling his tea as he did. There was a hard line of befuddlement on his brow. What could be so urgent it needs my attention on Christmas Day?

There was a postmark from Hungary, and the destination address had been changed multiple times, beginning with his office at the Ministry and finally the Goldstein's residence. He broke the seal and quietly read the letter to himself.

"What's it say?" Tina asked.

Newt swallowed and suddenly his face was an ashen, ghostly white color, and he felt physically ill. "Another Horntail mother has been killed."

Queenie covered her mouth in surprise. "How awful."

The wizard felt as though all the happiness in him had vanished. "There are four more eggs they want me to take care of." He felt his heart sink. Not only did the letter bring him terrible news, it also meant he couldn't stay with them any longer. "They need me as soon as possible," he looked to Tina. "I'm sorry; I wasn't planning on returning for a few more days."

"It's okay," she flashed him a quick, sad smile. "Those dragons need a mother, and who better than you?"

Newt was more than heart-broken – crushed seemed more fitting; it wasn't in him to abandon creatures when they were in need. As much as he wanted to stay in the serenity of his friends' company drinking tea and eating pastries, what choice did he have but to cut his trip short?

"I am so sorry, Tina," he said again.

She maintained an impressive façade, but it didn't fool Newt. The ambitious twinkle in her eyes he loved so much was clouded by the sadness she felt. The whole aura of the room had been altered; the apartment seemed colder and the lights glittered duller. Even the radio sang a somber tune that farther drew them into their solemn emotions.

"Maybe you could come back for another holiday," Queenie said in an uplifting tone, attempting to shift the mood of the room. "Valentine's Day is in a couple months," she nudged Tina with her elbow.

Newt was too busy putting on his coat and gathering his case to pay any attention to Queenie's little hint. He was rather beside himself; the dragon killings were getting out of hand and there wasn't much anyone could do to stop the poaching. It was difficult for him not to dwell on the tragedy, but he did his best to push the issue to the back of his mind while he was still in the presence of his friends.

"Let me at least take you to MACUSA. There's a direct line to the Ministry of Magic via the Floo System." Tina offered in a disheartening monotone. "Foreigners need a pass, but I can pull a few strings…get you where you need to be faster."

"Thank you, Tina." Newt's tone matched hers.

The wizard never would have thought to use that magical form of transportation to get where he needed to be so quickly. He admittedly was trying to figure out if he possessed enough skill to Apparate all the way to Hungary from the living room of the Goldstein's apartment. Tina's suggestion was a much better and safer option.

She sauntered over to put her coat back on while Queenie and Jacob stood hand in hand to say goodbye.

Newt was always terrible with farewells. "This uh," he tripped over his words, unsure how to express what the past several hours had meant to him. "This has been the best holiday I've had for some time," he smiled at the two of them compassionately. "I wish you two all the best. Really."

Queenie reached out and pulled him into an embrace. This time Newt was happy to return the tight hug. "You are too sweet." Her voice cracked in silent sobs. "Don't wait so long to come back next time, okay?"

"I won't," he assured her as she pulled away with a sad smile. He'd remember to write, too. No more acting as though he didn't have a good enough reason to visit, either.

"I'm glad you got your bakery, Jacob." Newt said, turning to the Muggle.

Jacob swooped in and hugged the wizard tightly as well. The force of the embrace almost knocked the two of them to the ground, and the wizard let out a soft chuckle.

"I couldn't have done it without you, pal." Newt attempted to feign a confused expression as Jacob released him.

"I figured it out this morning with the Occamies." He patted Newt's shoulder. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it."

Newt recalled why he was always bad at good-byes; it was because he hated them. They seemed so final and sad even if it was only for a little while.

Tina had not said a word during the farewells; she stayed close to the door with her head down, twiddling her fingers. It saddened Newt to see her like that. Nevertheless, duty called. He slowly paced over to her and held up his arm for her to take.

"You take care of those dragons!" Jacob shouted as Newt and Tina disapparated out of the apartment.

They appeared a block away from MACUSA, in an abandoned alleyway. The sidewalks were wet from where the sun had melted the snow, making their walk easier. No breeze carried through the air; it was just as still and as calm as the streets. Every so often, a car or lone civilian would ramble past on their way somewhere, but everyone else was tucked away spending their Christmas morning with the people they cared about.

The inside of the Magical Congress building was practically as barren as the streets outside. It was a vastly different sight from his last trip inside the ostentatious building; the usual rush dwindled to just a handful of house elves and goblins going about their usual duties. Between the enormous columns topped with gilded eagles stood a massive Christmas tree, decorated in all golden ornaments to match the rest of the interior. There were garlands twisted around every railing and dangled from every ledge, while overhead hundreds of candles floated, much like the ones in the Great Hall at Hogwarts. Newt could even hear a piano playing soft festive hymns which echoed throughout the empty lobby.

The wizard occupied his mind with the cheerful decor as Tina led him near the back of the open area. Her arm was still looped with his as they strode deeper into the building, and eventually they came upon an archway that opened into yet another wide-open room. Just outside the threshold sat a goblin with a log book.

"Goldstein? You ain't workin' today."

"Mr. Scamander needs to get back to the Ministry," she told the creature.

The goblin eyed Newt suspiciously. "He got a Floo Pass?"

"It's an emergency!" Tina huffed.

The goblin clenched his jaw, leering at the both of them with black, beady eyes. "Fine, but if there's an inquiry, I'm gonna sing like a canary."

Tina rolled her eyes, mumbling something about the creature being overzealous, and pulled Newt into the adjoining room.

Lining the walls were massive fireplaces one after another, each bearing a brass plate marking where it would lead. No tree or garland could hide the bleakness of the vacant room, which gave Newt little to distract him as they continued their walk to the right fireplace. The room was dimly lit, which rendered it difficult to make out the various inscriptions above each hearth, but eventually they found the one they needed.

Tina's arm limply fell away from his as she stood leering at the fireplace in front of them, not saying a word. Newt's heart was beating rapidly, and he wished for her to utter something. Just because she knew she couldn't object to him leaving didn't mean she wasn't hurting; and the thought sickened him. Long good-byes so often hurt deeper than quick ones. Maybe, he thought. It's best not to drag it out.

Without speaking he grabbed a handful of Floo powder and took a step toward the fireplace, but a forceful tug on his sleeve drew him back. Tina held the blue fabric firmly, and Newt dropped the dust back into the container again. Her strong façade had fallen to reveal the tears she had been fighting since they left the apartment. She didn't dare let them fall - she was much too strong for that - but they swelled enough for Newt to notice them from where he stood.

Newt carefully pulled away from her grip and took her hand in his. He stepped close to her and met her eyes.

"Happy Christmas, Tina," he murmured, not looking away for a second. He wanted to soak up all he could of her. The way she looked and smelled, the way her dark hair so beautifully contrasted her porcelain skin, and the way her molten brown eyes gleamed in the faintest of light.

A single tear slid down her cheek "Merry Christmas, Newt."

Gently, he brushed it from her face. She smiled at his tender touch and leant into his calloused hand. Newt delicately planted a kiss on her forehead and lingered there; eyes shut, heart pounding, completely engulfed in emotion. In that moment everything became clear to him. Never again would he be away from her as long as he had been. She put to rest every insecurity that had ever dwelled within him, and put together his broken pieces to make him feel whole. As long as she wanted him near, he would forever come running.

"Maybe," he said softly, lips still brushing her skin as he spoke. "If I can, I'll poof back in for New Year." He met her gaze once again to find a smile and her welling tears. She laughed.

"I'd like that."

He touched her face again, and she held his hand there with her own. There was truth in touch, more than in sight, and definitely more than in speech. It was a language often hard to understand, but the first one learned by all. With touch, one could express a level of emotion no amount of words could explain. With her hand against his he knew, she knew, and that was all that mattered.

As Newt began to step backward into the fireplace he tried to memorize every detail of the moment so the picture would remain in his mind until he could return. His heart ached, but he promised himself to return as soon as he could. Neither of them looked away, holding their affectionate gaze until, in a burst of green light, Newt was back at the Ministry, thousands of miles away from Tina.

(A/N:) The end! The story that follows this one is titled "Drink With Me" if you are keeping up with the series.

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