Tina and Kama

Newt, Tom and Jacob appeared in a crowded street. They took a moment to breathe carefully whilst Jacob swallowed his lunch as he held the bucket. "I didn't like that Portkey, Newt," he groaned.

"So you keep saying," he said. Newt looked up and saw a giant statue of a lady. "Follow me," he led his son and their friend up the stairs where a Muggle policeman stood in front of the stone wall underneath the statue. He waved his wand. "Confundus," The man started sneezing. "Come on. That'll wear off in a few minutes," he watched the statue's skirt pull aside and he pulled them right through the stone wall.

"Woah!" Tom stumbled. He took into their surroundings and realised that they were in the exact same street but there were wizards and magic everywhere. They had entered the wizarding dimension of Paris. "What a way to enter a world hidden in Paris,"

"So…what now?" Jacob asked.

"Appare vestigium," Newt spun around in a circle blowing gold dust from his wand. Sparkles drifted in the air and golden footprints appeared on the floor. "Accio Niffler..." he summoned Teddy from his suitcase. "Get looking. Oi! Get looking," the Niffler sniffled like a dog.

Newt planted his wand on the pathway. An image from the past appeared, revealing a slimy creature with a head shaped like a piece of broccoli.

"What is that?" Tom asked.

"That's a Kappa. That's a Japanese water demon,"

"You mean this was here?" he asked.

"Yes. Last night,"

A figure of gold appeared walking past them, showing a woman.

"Tina?" Newt rushed forward, following the gold figure revealing where Tina stood last night. "Tina?!" the Niffler stood beside him. "What have you found?" The Niffler licked the ground and so did he.

Tom and Jacob were a little uncomfortable.

"And we're licking the dirt now," the Muggle commented.

"That's my dad for you," said Tom. "He must have detected a magical creature. But what kind?"

Newt placed the end of his wand to his ear and the other end turned into an ear trumpet. He heard thunderous roars from a creature whose scent from last night he had detected.

"Revelio," Newt waved his wand and the apparition of a giant beast who had a round lion face and mane with four teeth poking from its upper jaw. It had giant black talons and an incredibly long pink tail.

"Newt... what made those?" Jacob asked, a little scared.

"That is a Zouwu. It's a Chinese creature. They are incredibly fast and incredibly powerful. They can travel a thousand miles in a day and this one could take you from one part of Paris to the next in a single leap,"

"Blimey," said Tom astounded. He peered around and saw golden visions of cages. "It must be have trapped in a cage," The Niffler lay on the ground rubbing its back.

"Oh, good boy. What have you found?" Newt stood where the Niffler stood. He saw a pair of golden footprints. "Guys, she was here. Tina stood here. She has incredibly narrow feet, have you noticed Jacob?"

"Can't say that I have," he confessed awkwardly.

"Then someone came towards her," Tom pointed to a vision of a tall, coloured man walking towards them with a round hat. The feather fell off. Tom looked down and saw the dusty feather on the ground. "This was on his hat,"

"Perfect," Newt chanted, "Avenseguim," the feather floated off Tom's palm and flew away slowly. Follow that feather,"

"You mean that's gonna lead us to that man?" Tom asked.

"Yes. Now hurry and follow it or we'll miss it,"

"Come on Jacob," Tom pulled his hand.

"What?"

"We need to follow the feather,"

Newt noticed someone was missing. "Where is he?" he spotted it at a shop trying to get something large and gold. "Ah, Accio Niffler," he summoned it and it plopped right back into the open suitcase. It closed and he grabbed it. "Jacob, you can leave the bucket,"

Jacob put down the bucket and it magically disappeared. The two men and boy followed the feather through the streets of Paris to find its owner and hopefully Tina too. But as they did, it became grey and it seemed like it would rain. Jacob was becoming rather tired. "Could we at least stop for a coffee, or like a..,"

"Not now, Jacob," Newt answered. "This way. Come on," he pulled them right.

"Pain Au Chocolat? Half a croissant, or like, a bonbon?" he begged.

"We don't have time for snacks Jacob," Tom argued. "We need to find Tina and my brother remember?"

Suddenly it began to rain. Neither of them had coats and they couldn't use magic because they were back in the Muggle Community again. Quickly Newt summoned the feather and they stood under an arched alley to take shelter for a while. As the rain poured, Newt noticed Tom's posture looked rather slouchy. His head was hung and his lips were curled. "You okay?"

"I'm just really worried about Credence. He's never been on his own before. And I'm worried too that, if the Ministry catch us…they'll take you away from me," Tom's voice was hoarse. "And I couldn't bear it if I lost another father, because of them or Grindelwald," the memory of Grindelwald on the night he killed his parents flashed in the mind of his eye.

"Hey…" Jacob patted his back. "It's gonna be okay kid,"

Newt knelt before him. "You are never going to lose me. I promise you. And I'm never going to let anyone take you from me. Ever," he wiped his eyes and Tom hugged him tightly. Jacob's heart warmed seeing them hold each other with love and devotion. But seeming them together made him remember Queenie. How much he loved and missed her.

They waited for many hours until the rain stopped. It was mid-afternoon so they decided they should at least sit down for a while. Newt trapped the feather under a cup and they ordered coffee, some water for Tom and some delicious French bagels to soothe their appetites.

"This is so good," Tom munched on his croissant. "One day we should have a proper holiday here,"

"Yeah we should," Newt agreed.

"I know. Maybe once you explain the misunderstanding to Tina, you both could take a vacation here. I heard rumours that Paris is meant to be the city of love,"

Newt became awkward again. "I don't think…"

"He's right Newt. There is no other place to be in love with someone than in the city of love," Jacob agreed. The father and son watched him observe a happy couple so deeply in love. "You know what I miss about Queenie? Everything. I even miss the stuff that drove me nuts. Like the mind reading. I was lucky to have someone like her even interested in anything I thought,"

"That's what love is all about," Tom said solemnly. "Everything will work out. You'll see,"

"But there's one thing you're forgetting kid. We can't marry because she has magic and I don't,'

"No law should tell you whom you can and can't marry," Tom said defiantly. "You know it's not just Grindelwald who needs stopping. It's all these arrogant Aurors and people like the Ministry who shouldn't control your life. Except for Tina of course. She's much sweeter. Perhaps our worlds aren't meant to be separate. Perhaps they're meant to be co-existing together,"

"That's exactly what Lorna thinks," said Newt. "You remind me so much of her. I wish there were other wizards. Like you and her,"

"Hey, guys look," Jacob pointed to a coloured man in the same suit they saw on the figure who was following Tina in the vision. "I think that's the guy we're looking for," His estimation was correct when they saw the feather banging violently against the glass. The hat the man wore was the one it belonged to. Newt lifted the glass off and the feather flew and attached itself right back onto the hat.

Quickly they stood up and politely spoke up to the man. "Sire,"

"Err... bonjour. Bonjour, monsieur," Tom tried, thinking they should try talking in French.

"Can I help you?" The man asked.

"We were just wondering if you'd come across uh, a friend of ours..." Newt asked. "Tina Goldstein,"

"Monsieur, Paris is a large city,"

"She's an Auror. When Aurors go missing, the Ministry tend to come looking. So... No, now I suppose it would probably be better if we just report her absence,"

"Is she tall? Dark? Rather? Intense? Beautiful?"

"Yeah, what I meant to say- she's very-very pretty!" Newt mumbled over his words.

"I think I saw someone like this last night Perhaps if I showed you where? If you wouldn't mind,"

"That would be lovely," Tom answered for his embarrassed dad.

"Well then, follow me," the man led them away from the café towards the many bridges that crossed from one side of Paris to the other. Tom could see the Eiffel Tower in the distance. It was a beautiful scene. "What's your name, sir?"

"Yusuf Kama," he introduced himself, not looking back at him. They crossed the bridge and Yusuf took them through a gateway down towards the sewers. Tom felt deeply disgusted. They were led down to some cellars towards a cellar door. Newt opened and inside they saw Tina sitting down.

Newt felt his heart beating. "Tina?"

Tina was shocked to see him.

"It's so good to see you, Tina," Tom squealed in excitement. He bounded over to her and gave her a hug which she returned. "You've no know idea how happy my dad is…"

"Newt!" Tina screamed.

"Expelliarmus!" Kama disarmed Newt with his wand before he magically closed the cellar door, locking it. "My apologies, Mr Scamander!"

"What do you think you're doing?!" Tom shouted grabbing the bars tightly. "Let us out of here,"

"I shall return and release you all once Credence is dead!"

"No! You can't kill him!" Tom shouted. "Leave him alone!"

"I'm sorry kid, but either he dies... or I do," he panted. He turned his back, hearing Tom's shrieks at him to leave his brother alone but he unexpectantly slowed down and fell to his side.

"Well, that's not the best start to a rescue attempt," Newt said awkwardly without thinking.

"This was a rescue attempt?" Tina blabbered. "You've just lost me my only lead,"

"Hey! Don't lash at my dad like that! He came all the way here to find you!" Tom stood up to her.

Tina stared blankly at Newt who only stared at her with compassion and devotion. Before she could speak, they heard the door lock clicking and it opened. Bobo, who had leapt from Tom when he was screaming out at Kama to leave Credence alone had busted it open.

Tom in tears took his dear animal companion into his hands. "Good job Bobo," the Bowtruckle hugged his cheek. The three grown-ups followed after him and they knelt beside the man who had passed out.

"So, you need this man, you say?" Newt asked Tina.

"I think this man knows where Credence is, Mr Scamander," Tina

Tom was more scared than curious. "Why does he want to kill him?"

"Don't worry Tom. We'll find him and make sure he's kept safe," Jacob promised him.

A noisy roar boomed high above their heads on the surface.

"Well, that'll be the Zouwu," said Newt.

"We need to get this man somewhere," Tina said, looking at Kama.

"But he wants to kill Credence!" Argued Tom.

"He's the only one who knows who he is. We need that information to help him,"

Tom scoffed. "Fine. But if he so much as tries to harm him…"

"I'll take care of that," Tina promised. They carried Kama out of the cellar and the sewers back up to the surface. It had turned dark so quickly but with the streetlights lined across the bridge, they saw the giant creature roaring at scared crowds as it crossed the bridge in their direction. Police cars approached very quickly. Looking more clearly, Tom saw that it had chains around its chest. No wonder it was acting so violent. It had been held captive just like the vision of those creature cages was showing. "We can't leave it out here," he said in sympathy. "It'll get killed,"

"Leave that to me. Stay with Tina," Newt sprinted out into the open as the Zouwu. It roared but it saw Tom's dad standing there in the open unafraid. It stepped with its tail flickering in the air, seething its teeth. Tom watched with worry but he knew he had to be brave for his dad.

The Zouwu stood in front of Newt. It roared and raised its talon about to strike when Newt pulled out a stick toy with a furry face that made a bell-ring noise. The creature calmed down, hearing the gentle chiming. The others watched him with fascination. The creature purred like a giant cat and cooed, watching the toy every second. Newt waved it slowly from side to side as the Zouwu's eyes never left the head. Then Newt dropped the toy into his open case and the Zouwu followed in after it. The suitcase shut and quickly he joined the others and they rushed down the stairs and followed the riverbank along the river to escape the crowds that were already gathering up.

"We can't stay here," said Tina worriedly.

"I know a place," Newt pulled out the golden card, Dumbledore had given him. It had a dial almost like a compass that pointed off in a particular direction.

Staying low, they followed the card's compass into the streets of Paris until they came across a tall wooden house which stood apart from the stone-bricked buildings. A hanging sign had the compass dial painted on it. "This is the place," Newt said.

"How do you know it's safe?" Tina asked.

"Our friend Dumbledore said this would be a safe house in Paris," Newt said. "He has a friend living here but he's most likely asleep. He won't mind us going in thought," He stepped to the door and to his luck, it was unlocked. They entered a large room that looked almost like a laboratory with science equipment and books everywhere. Pictures were hanging on the wall that moved and some old pieces of furniture were in front of an unlit fireplace at the very back. Some creaky chairs on the right led upstairs.

"It's best if we let Kama sleep for now," Newt made him levitate to sit over two stools at the back. "We should get some sleep. It's been quite a long day,"

"I'll stay down here and watch over Kama," Tina volunteered. Newt tried to speak to her but she marched off and settled down in a chair next to Kama much to his dejection.

Tom sighed and held his hand. The two and Jacob walked carefully up the stairs to a squeezy corridor with a thin narrow space. They saw one door at the far end fastened. Dumbledore's acquaintance was inside. But they wouldn't disturb him.

"Jacob, you take this room," Newt pointed to one door on his right. "Tom and I will take this one," he pointed to the opposite.

"Okay. We're gonna find Queenie tomorrow right?" he asked.

"We will," Newt promised. "I'm sorry we've had no luck today,"

"I can't believe that guy tricked us," Tom cursed. "And why does he want to kill my brother?"

"Don't worry kid. We'll figure it out," Jacob said. "Why don't you go downstairs and tell Tina the misunderstanding?"

Newt struggled. "I can't," he was feeling a bit hurt from dejection.

"If you don't do it now, you'll lose her," his son begged.

"Tom, saving your brother and stopping Grindelwald is more important," Newt was one for self-sacrifices but his son wanted him to be happy with that witch. They dressed up for bed and Tom was tucked into bed by his father. Newt slept in a bed opposite his one and pushed the suitcase underneath. Tomorrow he would go and check on the Zouwu and they would heal Kama and find Queenie and Credence. Hopefully in time.

Hearing Jacob's snores from the opposite room, Tom's eyes remained wide open. Worries kept him awake as if it was a magical enchantment. He worried for his brother, his father, his friends, Lorna back home in England…everything. He tried closing his eyes so he could get some sleep but every time he did, he saw himself four years ago back in that hotel room. His parents forcefully kneeled before that dark wizard who demanded information regarding three powerful objects, one of which he possessed, his wand.

When they refused, the green flash glowed and Tom's eyes opened again. He sat up and cried silently. He pulled his blanket off the bed and walked downstairs slowly. The stairs made little creaks but he managed to make it downstairs without waking anyone asleep up. Tina was reading her book and keeping an eye on Kama when she heard Tom's creaky footsteps approaching.

"You okay Tom?" she asked.

Tom nodded.

"Can't sleep?"

Tom shook his head.

"Why don't you sit here for a while?" Tina offered a seat and Tom gladly sat beside her. "We're going to find Credence, Tom. And we're gonna make sure no one hurts him,"

"Thanks, Tina. Compared to every other Auror, I've heard of, you're much nicer and sweeter. Even my uncle sold me out to the Ministry and they demanded Newt hand me over. But it didn't,"

Tina felt so sorry for all the trauma he had been going through being treated like a criminal who deserved to be caged up. She embraced him warmly like another mother. "He's so lucky to have you as his son," she said.

"And he's lucky to have you in his life,"

Tina felt uneasy hearing him say that. "I should congratulate him on getting engaged to Leta,"

"No. He's not engaged to Leta Lestrange,"

Tina pulled back. "What?"

"It was a mistake in a magazine. It's my uncle who's marrying Leta. Newt's expected to be his best man,"

Tina was befuddled. "Tom, I'm dating…"

"He knows you're dating someone else but don't be with that guy. Newt likes you…a lot. And he wanted to give you a copy of his book in person but the Ministry banned him from international travel,"

"Then what is he doing here? He'll be arrested and he'll get taken away from you,"

"Because he came here to find you. That's who my dad is, Tina. A strong committed man who always looks out for his friends and loved ones. No matter what the consequences," Tom hoped his words had moved the passionate woman. He thought that if Newt couldn't confess his feelings then he would do it for him to repay for all the love he had given him. To him, a kind, caring man like Newt deserved to have someone like Tina in his life.

Tina felt a tear behind her eye. She was speechless. She wanted to say something but a tense question was ringing in her mind. "Well…then…I….," she paused. Then she spoke again. "I need to ask you dad something. But first, we need to focus on finding your brother. And my sister too,"

Mentioning Queenie, she unintentionally made Tom's mind bounce back to everything Jacob had told him about their forbidden love. "Tina, Queenie was at our house in London. She said you and her weren't talking anymore because of her relationship with Jacob,"

Tina closed her eyes and sighed. "She'll be arrested if she marries him. As an Auror, I'm expected to follow those laws,"

"Surely you want her to be happy with someone she loves. And Jacob helped us in New York. He stood up to the other Aurors when they wanted to kill me. He showed more courage than any of them. That makes him just as strong as the rest of us. And a part of our world too,"

"I do want Queenie to be happy. But I couldn't bear it if she got locked up because I didn't do anything to stop it,"

"Have you ever considered that perhaps this law is what created Grindelwald and his followers in the first place? That maybe our two worlds could co-exist together,"

"If only that were possible,"

"It can be. It just takes extraordinary like you, Dad, and his friend Lorna to truly realise that. Maybe if the world changed, there wouldn't be arrogant people like Grindelwald trying to seek power," Tom was a big dreamer. Their adventure in New York had truly shown him that magic was a special gift that he deemed meant to be shared with non-magical people. And non-magical people like Jacob who protected him could make such dear friends if they saw what good magic was if used by good wizards and witches.

The creaking of stairs made them turn their heads and they saw Newt, relieved. He was happy to see that Tom was just sitting downstairs with Tina. The look that Tina expressed to him made him feel awkward. He had a feeling Tom had told her about the misunderstanding but a certain aspect in her eyes made him realise now wasn't the good time to talk. "I'll take over for you Tina,"

"Come on Tom. Let's get you into bed. You're getting tired," Tom yawned and Tina held his hand and gently guided him away. She passed by Mr Scamander who gave her a longing look. They walked up the stairs and Tina tucked Tom into bed. Her tender touch made Tom remember how soft his mother's hands were as she held him and tucked him into bed. He fell asleep, holding his father's pendant around his neck his strong grip.

And all he saw in his mind were his father, Tina, Lorna, Jacob, Queenie, and Credence. All the people who had given him love. His family.

They have found Tina and Kama. What did you all think of Tom? Such a committed brother and son who doesn't want to lose any more loved ones. In the next chapter, we'll be taking a break from the family and looking more into Lorna and Dumbledore. Can't forget them. See you all soon next week.