Lavender’s Blue

Posted originally on the Archive of Our Own at http://archiveofourown.org/works/45794482.

Rating: General Audiences

Archive Warning: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Category: F/M
Fandom: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies)
Relationship: Tina Goldstein/Newt Scamander, Newt Scamander & Theseus
Scamander, Tina Goldstein & Newt Scamander, Queenie Goldstein &
Newt Scamander, Queenie Goldstein & Jacob Kowalski, Queenie
Goldstein & Tina Goldstein, Queenie Goldstein & Tina Goldstein &
Jacob Kowalski & Newt Scamander, Queenie Goldstein/Jacob
Kowalski, Newt Scamander & Child OC
Character: Newt Scamander, Tina Goldstein, Queenie Goldstein, Jacob Kowalski,
Original Child Character(s), Theseus Scamander
Additional Tags: Cinnamon Roll Newt Scamander, Protective Newt Scamander, New
York, canon compliant (sort of), Orphans, Abandoned Child, Newt has a
new addition to the case, Parental Newtina, newtina, jaqueenie,
Scamander brothers, Accidental Baby Acquisition (but not how you
think), Fluff, Plot and Fluff
Language: English
Stats: Published: 2023-03-16 Updated: 2023-09-17 Words: 31,346 Chapters:
9/?

Lavender’s Blue
by ForbiddenGalaxy

Summary

He had just found her on the steps, damp and cold and screaming against the frosty nip of
the air. Something so vulnerable and delicate he feared she wouldn’t make it through the
night. Making his way to New York he realises he has to make a decision,

One he’s not sure of the answer…

Title from the Lullabye- Lavender Blue

 Lavender’s Blue Dilly Dilly
Chapter Summary

Newt finds a curious package.

Chapter Notes

Now this is a little left field of what I usually do so I’m not entirely sure how much it’s
going to work. However this is one of two series I started writing to try and gain more
enthusiasm for trials of Scamander and here we are. The other is a time travel fic. Both
rather random but with the rather depressing slow of the fandom I might as well get
creative ;).

Newt was starting to wish he’d actually paid attention to his publisher's ramblings as he walked
down the same street for the third time. He was meant to be finding a magical library designed to
give underprivileged magical children a place to learn before Hogwarts as well as a way to make
sure any muggle-born children could at least read before learning magic. His publisher had been
weary about him doing a lesson to the children on creatures, as was everyone else he talked to, and
suggested he go for a walk to ‘see what he was dealing with’.

However, by the time his publisher had started rattling through instructions his mind had drifted to
much more pressing issues of which creatures would be suitable for a young audience and who
were the least likely to be offended by a potential poke or accidental tug. All that the publisher had
written down was the building name so Newt was relying solely on the few parts of his brain that
had been actually paying attention. However here he was wandering around an area of London he
had only ever heard of stated conspiratorially in newspapers complaining about various aspects of
the day-to-day goings on.

Poplar, he believed it was called. The industrial part of the Thames and it seemed most men were
docksmen, strutting around with grease-stained clothes and hands calloused and blackened with
soot, while women chatted colourfully with baskets of washing they were stringing up in the streets
or reprimanded herds of children that were playing in the unpaved roads. As he passed all eyes
were on him, chatter diminishing to rapid whispers while he desperately avoided eye contact. None
approached until he reached the end of his third walk of the same road and a kind-looking woman
with exhaustion etched in her features and a gangly baby on her hip approached and asked

“Yer lost Love?”

Surprised at even being approached he fumbled with the case, nearly dropping it in the process,
and asked with a tight smile
“A little, I believe”

“Aye, I know most round here- Betty get that out yer chops” she tutted as the baby guiltily
removed her fist from her mouth “I bet I can help yer”

“I’m looking for Emington House?”

“The little ‘uns place? Closed years ago love. Ol’ government saw it as a sink, like the rest of this
poxy place”

Must be under protection spells then

“Would you mind directing me there anyway?”

She looked him up and down then nodded

“Aye, I’ll come with yer or yer gonna get pinched”

She hefted the baby up and then shouted to the herd of children

“Oi Moll keep an eye on yer brothers”

“But mam!”

A girl of around ten with ringlets shouted and the helpful woman snapped

“Any more whinging from you and I’ll put you over my knee right here!”

The girl still huffed but returned to her play and the woman hiked the child up and stated

“This way”

Before walking them the opposite way Newt had been walking.

“So… Yer an Emington sprog then?”

“Oh?” Newt murmured, avoiding a suspicious stain on the road, before realising what she said
“Um no. I’m just-“ He was going to say he was an author but he felt that wouldn’t help matters.
“Just visiting”

“Ah”

She replied, sounding as if she believed none of it as they came to a stop in front of a battered-
looking building. Emington House for Underprivileged Children was etched above the decrepit-
looking doorway with a sort of Victorian grandeur that Newt assumed came from a rich Victorian
businessman trying to get his workers on side.

“Was shut down years ago now. Yer see, apparently keeping unloved little’uns safe was too much
of a waste for those off in their mansions. I’ll leave yer now Mister.-“ She hiked the baby up again
and pointed down the road in front of them “Just go up there and you’ll pick up the signs for
civilised folk”

Then she walked off, him calling

“Thank you!”

The only sign that she heard him was a raised hand.

Once she had rounded the corner he slipped his wand out in the vacant street, stepping into the
covered entryway only to jump at the sight of a moving blanket on the doorstep. He had been
expecting that once he passed under the entry porch he’d pass through into a delightful children’s
library but instead the building was still as old and crumbling as it had looked from afar. Taking a
tentative step forward he approached the blanket, he initially assumed it was some sort of rodent
but as his step caused a small pile of rubble to go skittering across the floor the bundle made a
small whimper that sounded horrifyingly human-like. He crouched down to see that the dirtied
blanket was covering a tiny infant, face pink and pinched from cold and screwed up in protest at
what Newt assumed was the rather pungent smell emanating from them.

“Hello, little one?”

He stammered, double-checking he was alone before performing a quick drying charm on the
blanket and gingerly picking up the bundle. He rose to his full height

stood momentarily staring down at the child that had let out a long whine at his contact.

Raising a finger to the baby’s cheek he murmured in surprise at how cold their skin was. There
was some residual warmth in the height of their cheeks but mostly the early spring day had sapped
most of the heat from their body. Holding them closer to his chest, his heart beating now at an
almost alarming rate in his chest. He was certain he was about to walk into a children’s library,
there would be a cheery woman who would take the baby and sort out the local authorities and he
could then spend some time with the children finding out what they wanted to learn more about.
However as he pushed the door, hanging off its hinges, open his stomach fell through the floor. It
was clear the room once held a thriving hub of books, education and games but now all that
showed that ever existed at all were some dust-covered desks with some enchanted graffiti etched
in the tables as well as some child’s level maths and English textbooks. Other than that the place
was barren.

Heart beating impossibly fast as the baby let out another small cry he held his wand higher and
began rapidly muttering every revealing charm he knew until finally, a message appeared on the
cracked chalkboard.

“We have moved to a place safer for the children, please contact Elle if you wish to find us”

“Bugger.”

Newt shouted, louder than intended, startling the baby in his arms and causing them to start to cry
loudly. Realising his mistake Newt shook his head of any annoyance and breathed deeply as his
mind began to produce a dozen possible solutions for yet another problem he’d found himself in.
An onslaught interrupted by the growing wails so instead he shuffled the baby more onto his
shoulder and unbuttoned his coat before trapping the baby between his body and the layer of wool
before buttoning partially so his hand could still support them while their head poked out of the
top. This seemed to be slightly effective as the sobs quietened slightly yet the baby still whimpered
against his chest.

Knowing that the best thing he could do next would be to return to his flat he sighed as he tried to
get the infant as close to his body as possible before murmuring a quiet apology and apparating
into the centre of his living area.

By some miracle the flat was absent. He assumed that Bunty had actually adhered to him saying
she was free to leave at lunchtime, a lot better at that since Bhutan, and his brother was nowhere to
be found. Despite the fact Theseus had gone back to living on his own for a while now it wasn’t
uncommon for him to find his brother “checking up on him” occasionally. Usually with some kind
of alcohol in toe. So, infinitely glad of the silencing charms on the house since the Nifflers caused
the police to be contacted, he started trying to bounce the terrified child while murmuring a string
of nonsensical words. When all that did was reduced the screaming to hiccuping sobs he decided to
instead shrug off his coat and move over to his scarcely slept-in bed.

The baby seemed confused at the change in scenery as he lowered them down which stopped the
crying long enough for Newt to unravel the filthy blanket and undo the nappy. Not even bothering
to see if either was worth saving he directed both in the direction of the bin with a wave of his
wand then looked down at them.

“Well, I suppose I should be calling you Madam… hmm?”

She just looked up at him with big dark eyes, not unlike Tinas but missing the fire of them, her
cheeks red and tear-stained as she seemed almost in shock.

“How about a bath then? That’s what you do with children, yes?”

Of course, the baby didn’t answer, but Newt took the fact that she was no longer screaming as a
good sign as he lifted her up. His eyes lingered momentarily on the damp patch on his bed and
added “Then I think we need a nappy for you”

Gently he filled up and heated the metal sink in his kitchen area with a couple of jabs of his wand
with the baby in the crook of his arm. Then, placing the wand on the side he tested the water
wasn’t too hot and then lowered her in. Summoning a few bubbles to entertain as he considered
how on earth he was meant to bathe her and hold her at the same time. Eventually, he worked out a
semi-functional technique only to freeze as he noticed five finger-shaped bruises on her shoulder.

“Oh, Merlin…”

He mumbled, tracing them with his finger as anger swelled inside him. One of the most innocent
creatures in the world, not yet plagued by anything, completely new yet someone had decided to
hurt her. He watched as she attempted to eat a bubble and Newt was brought back slightly to his
senses, nudging the foam away.

“I know you’re hungry little one…”

He murmured then he went back to washing her.

After he was content she was clean and her body temperature had risen to what he considered a
normal amount, he summoned a towel and a blanket then lifted her out of the bath as he wrapped
her in a towel, wand in mouth. She let out a noise then, the first one he had heard her make that
wasn’t just pain and a smile flitted across his face as he held her close to his chest. The blanket was
old yet soft enough to make a passable nappy and with a few hasty wand movement’s a rather
lopsided bit of fabric was cut out. He lowered her on top of it then with the few safety pins he
owned pinned it with a degree of caution he didn’t know he had until she was lying, gurgling and
kicking her feet as he thought about what to do next.

“Food. Milk, I’ll get the goat's milk I use for the babies in the case- That should work? Humans are
just creatures- Although they have significantly larger brains… Do they need- Merlin's beard”

He spoke aloud, the baby watching his rambling with utmost interest, then he opened the cold
store to see a bottle of goat's milk in stasis from the last time he had to bottle-feed a creature. He
poured the milk into the bottle, keeping an eye on her all the while, then he scooped her back up
and carried her to his sofa where he pulled the blanket off of the back and wrapped her up in it. It
took a bit of manoeuvring before she was nestled against him drinking from her bottle with loud
greedy sucks.

Giving him a chance to realise what on Earth he was doing. He had found a baby. A baby who was
clearly unloved by one and so loved by another. Then, instead of taking the baby straight to the
correct authorities he’d taken her back with him. Theseus was going to be impressed. What even
were his long-term options? Did he keep her? He had barely been in the country since Bhutan,
mostly on Dumbledore missions or in New York but he couldn’t keep going back and forth with an
infant. He couldn’t keep leaving her…

He mulled it over, looking down at her content little expression as she gulped down her milk. At
most he would guess she was three months old and already she’d been a little fighter. He couldn’t
just leave her to the mercy of the Muggle authorities. He didn’t even know if she was Muggle, it
seemed pretty well known the orphanage was shut long ago but not that the magical children’s
library was. There was squirming in his arms and he looked down to see an empty bottle.

“Well I bet that feels better”

The baby let out a coo as he set the bottle on his coffee table then he lifted her up to burp her. Once
she was done he brought her back down to see that her eyes were barely open and the only noise
she made was an occasional coo.

“Alright little one, bed for you”

Standing up, he began to sway gently as he held her with one hand and picked his wand up again.
Pointing it at one of his decrepit dining chairs he focused the best he could and transfigured it into
a passable cot before floating it over to his bedside. Then, seeing she was almost asleep, he
lowered her gently onto the transfigured cushion in her bundle of blankets before settling to watch
her eyes slip close.
Once he was content she was asleep he collapsed onto his battered sofa with a sigh. It was
bordering on impressive how he kept managing to get himself into such situations and it reminded
him of something Queenie said to him at the wedding as he'd been musing quietly in the corner.
Thinking how he’d gone from quiet occasional loneliness to a room full of friends. “You’re a
rescuer Newt'' She had said to him, patting his arm gently, “Creatures, people… you don't do it on
purpose, you just see someone in need and help ‘em”

“A giver. That's what you called me once”

He had replied and Queenie had smirked

“Yeah, and I stand by that. And what I said after-”

She had then very obviously looked over at Tina who had been waltzing with Theseus and had
moved to bickering with him about who should lead.

He then went to get up to do the creatures when he realised his problem at the sight of a little fist
raising in sleep and relaxed back in the seat with a heavy thud.

“Merlin…”

He muttered, crossing his arms and hoping Pickett would forgive him for leaving him on the tree
for so long. He had gone to Poplar creature free in case there would be any problems so he would
probably be subjected to a very sulky bowtruckle, a bowtruckle that would probably get worse
when he would learn that he would be sharing his shoulder at least temporarily with a small child
that screamed sporadically. Deciding that sitting there staring between the bars in the cot wasn't
getting him anywhere he reached for his notebook and began making a list of everything he needed
to do, starting with “Find Baby Shop”.

He had made a rather substantial list when the mirror on the coffee table began to buzz violently
causing him to start and drop his self-inking quill. It also appeared to have awoken the baby who
had begun to sniffle in a way Newt was quickly finding was a prelude to screaming so grabbing the
mirror he mumbled “Tina Goldstein” before moving over to the cot.

“Sh sh shhh little one”

She seemed to quieten slightly at his murmuring then the mirror loudly projected Tina's voice into
his living room

“Hi!”

This seemed to be the last straw as the baby took a deep breath and then began to sob in earnest.

“Oh merlins beard- One second Tina”

He spoke to the mirror, just catching her confused expression before he placed the mirror on his
coffee table and reached down to grab the bundle. A tiny hand breaking free to reach for him.

“Shhhhhh, it's alright it's okay..” The baby quietened slightly again and Newt held her to his chest
and bounced them over to the sofa “There we are, that's it”

“Is that a creature?”

He heard Tina ask and he picked the mirror back up and made it hover in front of him so both of
his hands could support the still slightly crying baby. He made eye contact with her for the first
time and he could see now the confusion had moved to more one of shock as he supplied

“Of sorts…”

“Newt what the hell are you doing with a baby?” Her voice then gained a more lethal tone “Oh
Mercy Lewis it isn't yours is it?”

“No! No definitely not- I haven't- You're um still the only- No. She isn't mine”

His words stumbled over the other as he desperately tried to explain himself but after the first no
the anger had slid to a mix of relief and confusion.

“Then is she Theseus’s”

“No. Well- actually it can't be entirely ruled out but I just found her on the step of an abandoned
orphanage”

“Oh.”

“Yes, she has some bruises on her and such so I'm assuming it was out of desperation”

“No one ever gives up their children willingly, Newt.”

“Um y-yes of course”

He watched her shift her head as if trying to see something and seeing where her eyes were he
picked the now quiet baby off of his shoulder and settled her in the crook of his arm, half sat on his
knee so both she and Tina could watch each other.

“She’s got real dark eyes.”

‘Hasn't she? She’s quite fascinating.”

The baby cooed and lifted her arm, fascinated by the appearance of another person.

“Has she got a name?”

“Um, no. She hasn't even got any clothes, she was just in a nappy and wrapped in a blanket. I just
found her and made sure she was fed, bathed and warm as if I would a wounded creature- But Tina
I have no idea what to do now”

“Well she seems pretty happy drooling on your hand”

He looked down to see that the finger he had offered to her flailing hands to play with had gone
slowly but surely into her mouth.

“She seems to enjoy having things in her mouth” He smiled slightly then looked back to Tina “But
she's not going to sit drooling like that forever. I mean- she needs a mother, a family. Someone who
can teach her how to read and write and-”
“Are you saying you couldn't be that person?”

She replied patiently and he sighed, watching Tina smile at the baby in his lap who had just let out
another noise at his nervously bouncing knee that sounded like the beginnings of a laugh. For a
second he let his thoughts wander where instead of a too-thin baby, it was a chubby toddler and
instead of her reaching towards the floating mirror instead it would be Tina crouched in front of
them tickling the baby’s feet. They would laugh at the baby’s happy giggles then they would
spend the evening curled in front of the fire. A family perhaps.

“Not… necessarily”

She studied him for a moment, seeming as if she was working up the courage to say something
with her lip caught between her teeth.

“Look Newt, how about you come to New York for a bit? Baby’s can be hard work and if you
have an end date for leaving it might give you time to work out what you want”

“Would I be staying with you?”

Please say yes

Tina chuckled slightly shyly, her cheeks colouring as she murmured

“Well… There's plenty of room for the three of us”

“Three of us…” He murmured as the baby in his arms let out another happy noise as Tina smiled,
making another move for the mirror. Stopping her from toppling over he hiked her up more “Don’t
worry you’ll meet her tomorrow?”

He phrased it as a question and watched as Tina gave him that bemused look of hers

“I'll send a portkey via your brother for 12. It should mean you get here when I finish work. I’ll
floo Queenie and ask her to make some baby clothes. Just- try and get the creatures sorted for the
trip and keep her happy. I don’t know much more about babies I’m afraid….”

“Well, keeping her happy shouldn't be too difficult as long as she can chew on my fingers and the
other things I suppose we can work out on the way”

They shared a smile then Tina whispered

“I’ll see you tomorrow Newt”

“Yes, I suppose you will”

He grinned and as usual the happy feeling at the prospect of seeing Tina flooded through him

“Well, both of you I suppose”

“Yeah…”

She then looked down at the baby in his lap and said

“Hopefully you'll have a name by then… Bye Newt”

There was always a gap when they said goodbye, while he thought about what to say. Truthfully he
knew exactly what he wanted to say but through the distance and agreements and acceptance of
feelings he still wasn't entirely sure where they were. Some strange middle ground where when
they were together they acted married and when they were apart they acted like blushing school
children.

“Stay safe Tina”

“I will.”

She then put down the mirror, the image of her smile still ingrained in his memory. Only disrupted
when the baby began trying to pull at his shirt and Newt took the cue to go warm more milk.
 Lavender’s Green
Chapter Summary

They arrive in New York and Tina meets the baby.

At 11:55 the next day Newt found himself standing in the portkey office praying beyond praying
that his case would not be inspected upon arrival. The previous evening, after another two bottles
of milk, he had strapped the baby to his back as he had seen many tribes women do, then he had
packed his case with any creatures that would need his care and wrote a short letter to Bunty saying
that he had gone to New York and chances are it would be awhile. Afterwards, he had proceeded to
get at most three hours of sleep. The little girl had slept in two-hour blocks and halfway through
the night picked up a raspy chest and an unnerving temperature meaning even as she had slept he
had been reapplying cooling charms and racking his mind for a suitable substitute for pepper up
that was suitable for an infant. He was hoping that Tina would know someone, a healer or
anything, that would know how to help her. However, that required actually crossing the Atlantic
so as the port key manager stared him down with an analysing look he was now staring at his
reflection considering how much he looked like a maniac and how likely he was to be deemed as
suspicious by MACUSA security.

In his defence, he didn’t need to do much to receive the title of ‘suspect’ but considering the
precious cargo nestled in her transfigured cradle with Dougal and Pickett on watch in the depths of
his case, he was wishing that for once MACUSA didn’t just see him as a potential cause of their
fluctuating threat meter. The only benefit that had come out of the restless night was that he had
settled on her name.

He had been feeding her yet another bottle, this one laced with a sprinkle of feverfew oil in a
desperate hope it would cool her, and while bouncing her had taken her for a walk around the case
in hopes of lulling her to sleep. She instead had been fascinated by the stars, dark eyes wide in
wonder as the faux constellations lit up her features. He’d smiled then, stroking her cheek

“One for the stars I see?”

The name had then flittered into his mind, not entirely sure where it came from. Tina had told him
the story once of Esther in the Old Testament but when he had asked where she had learnt so much
she had brushed him off with pinkened cheeks. Esther was a strong woman, but it also meant star
and Newt didn’t think there was anything more perfect for a baby with eyes so bright.

“Esther… I think that suits you well”

The baby had just blinked up at him, slightly drunk on milk and most likely woozy from the
feverfew.
And so Esther was tucked up with Dougal and he was waiting for the blasted port key manager to
activate the key, jittery not even beginning to describe how he was feeling. He had completed yet
another lap of the room when finally the portkey manager waved his wand and a battered water
canister appeared in the middle of the room, twitching slightly. Then the manager pulled the
microphone towards him and spoke slowly

“12 o’clock portkey to MACUSA, Local time is 8 o’clock and the weather is- overcast”

Newt crouched down to grab the canister then the manager gave a bored yawn looking down at his
watch before counting down. Newt felt the metal tremor once, twice then the usual feeling of
being sucked down a plug hole.

He slammed onto his feet in the MACUSA arrivals room and thanks to it being a Saturday the hum
of people was rather subdued as he blinked around. Unlike the desk clerk who almost jumped in
glee at his appearance and stated with excitement, Newt felt bordering unnerving

“Welcome to the Magical Congress of the United States of America!”

“Hello?”

He murmured, stumbling over to the desk and fishing out his passport before sliding it over the
huge desk.

“Is this your first stay?”

Obviously a new clerk

“Oh um no…”

She stamped the page and scribbled something then handed the booklet back over to him. Her
voice still overly enthused.

“Anything to declare?”

Trying not to think about the million undeclared extension charms, the multitude of beast ban
violations and the literal infant in his case he shook his head.

“No.”

“Enjoy your stay!”

“Thank you.”

He mumbled and walked off in the direction of the auror department knowing that chances were
that she’d have been finishing some work for the weekend while waiting for him.

He stepped on the lift, looking down every few seconds to check the catch wasn't being pried open
by Dougal's hands. And they shot away, only coming to a stop once they’d reached the auror
department.
The floor was predominantly empty, a few bored-looking Aurors in the corner shifting through
paperwork awaiting the excitement of Saturday night arrests. He peered around the desks then saw
that Tina's office light was on and he could just about catch a head of dark hair stooped down over
some parchment. Her neck cricked in an awkward position that he knew she would be complaining
about to him later until he persuaded her to let him give her a neck massage. If he had any time at
all that was outside of Esther. Flicking his nervous gaze down to the case once more he loped
across the Major Investigations department and rapped shortly on the door.

“Come in” He heard faintly and he pushed open the door.

She didn’t look up from her parchment as she said

“Peterson, I’m out of here at twelve and I might not be in for an extra few days… Family stuff y-
Newt!”

She had gradually looked up as she spoke and was now looking up in surprise.

“I’m assuming based on your expression there’s been a slight communications problem with my
brother”

“Yeah… A little” She chuckled as she stood and looked around him before looking back confused.
“Where’s the baby?”

“In the case, she screamed quite a lot when we apparated yesterday and I know the Portkey effects
aren’t felt much in the case. She’s with Dougal but I want to get her out as soon as possible- she
was feeling rather hot”

“Oh- Of course um…”

She grabbed her coat and wand and with a flick of her wrist the office packed itself away, files
leaping into boxes and pictures straightening until it looked like the office had never been touched
at all. “Let’s go..”

She whisked out of the room, smirking lightly at him over her shoulder when he fumbled first with
his case and then with the door.

“Aurors, if there’s an emergency buzz me!”

She called and there was a chorus of “Yes ma’am” ‘s in response followed by a few conspiratorial
whispers as they went. It was only when the lift doors shuddered shut she spoke again to him.

“You been okay?”

She did it with that head tilt that made him all warm inside and he nodded before murmuring

“Rather missing you though, I must confess”

They had been stood side by side but at that, she turned fully to him and gently held his hand. She
seemed to contemplate what to say before leaning in slightly

“I’ve missed you too Newt”

He looked fully at her and saw that small smile was still on her face which made him have to
distract himself pulling on the case handle to prevent himself from pouncing on her in the middle
of MACUSA. However, something in her expression told him she wouldn’t exactly mind.

It certainly wouldn’t be the first time…

His brain rather unhelpfully provided and he squirmed slightly at the memory of the empty lift at
the MACUSA New Year Party. It had come three weeks after Queenie and JAcobs wedding and
while he and Tina had been staying together during those weeks, the occasional kiss turning into
something more the New Year party had been such a combination of nerves, longing and
something darker that they had struggled to keep their hands at bay long enough to get into the lift
without arousing too much suspicion.

What had followed still supplied his daydreams with far too much and while it had only happened
a few more times before he left on January fourth he was still eager to show Tina how much she
meant to him. However, first came Esther and he felt it would probably be a while before he and
Tina had the opportunity to revisit anything close to what occurred in the lift.

Finally, the doors shuddered open and they moved swiftly across the atrium to the designated
apparition zone that had been added recently before they disappeared with a crack. Opening his
eyes he saw that they had landed in the middle of Tina's apartment. Long gone was the two-roomed
brownstone, now Tina lived in a surprisingly light flat with two bedrooms and a bathroom that
didn’t require him creeping out in the early morning praying the landlady wouldn’t clock him. The
living space was still mostly one space with a red sofa and almost matching armchair on a slightly
aged rug in front of the fire, sitting in front of the windows and doors to a balcony which held some
plants and flowers he had grown for her. On the other side of the seats was a functional kitchen and
the same dining table he had first sat at years ago.

He gave it a cursory look around, the general scent of Tina, fireplace and coffee washing over him,
before placing the case on the ground and popping it open just in time for Dougal to appear and the
sound of crying to reach his ears. Hearing Tina's exclamation he wordlessly accio’d the goats milk
he brought with him as well as the bottle and asked

“Would you mind filling and heating the bottle? Body temperature please.”

Before dropping into the case with a thud.

As expected she was sobbing and kicking her little legs with all her might, the blankets pushed
aside in favour of getting more leverage.

“Now now Essie, It’s alright little one…”

He picked her up attempting to wrap her back in the blankets and then held her to his chest. Dougal
was watching in abject fascination and he tossed a look to his friend.

“Thanks for looking after her old chap” The demiguise nodded then flickered out of vision, looking
down at the baby in his arms he mumbled, “Now let's get you sorted hmm?”
As it had that morning it took no small feat to carry her up the ladder but as his head poked out he
came face to face with Tina who was crouched by the opening with intrigue on her features. Esther
was still crying but seemed to be trying to chew on his coat collar a little at the same time, quieting
her slightly.

“Wanna hand?”

She asked, voice still soft as she peered at the fuzzy head of dark hair.

“Um Yes please”

He leaned back against the opening of the case and extracted the baby, handing her to Tina who
was clearly about to offer her hand to help him up.

“Oh”

She murmured before shuffling awkwardly and then picking her up, holding her almost at arm's
length as she studied her. Thankfully the sight of another person had quietened Esther to the point
both girls were staring at each other with matching dark eyes. However where one glowed with
innocence the other burned with fire. Seeing Tina not make a move, and Esther make a rather
telling whimper, he murmured with amusement light in his tone

“Tina, you are aware she isn’t infectious”

At this Tina blushed, letting out a nervous chuckle

“I ain’t held a baby before… Not since Queenie was in diapers anyway”

“Here-“ He snapped the lid of the case shut before standing beside her. “Bring your arms in like
this-“ He gently took her arms and brought them in so the baby was close to her chest before
placing his hands under Esther's arms “Then I've got her don’t worry- bring one hand so you're
supporting her bottom and the other…”

Tina hesitantly moved her arms so Esther was more cradled then Newt gently let go “There we
are…”

Newt murmured and Esther grizzled making Tina giggle as she spoke in an awed whisper

“Hi…”

Reaching behind him he checked the milk temperature before asking

“Do you want to feed her?”

Her head snapped up

“I don’t know how…”

“You’ve bottle-fed moon calves…there isn’t a lot in it you see”

He gave her an encouraging smile then she nodded tentatively before sitting down on her sofa.
Grabbing a cushion from beside him he put it under the baby and then handed Tina the bottle.
Esther immediately held her arms up causing Newt to chuckle slightly.
“Just hold the bottle to her mouth, she’s actually quite good at feeding from her bottle”

Tentatively, Tina held the bottle to Esther's lips and greedily the baby began to suckle it down.

“She's hungry…”

He heard Tina mumble and Newt nodded from his seat at Tina's shoulder

“She is rather but I did plan it that way. The port key effects aren’t very strong in the case but can
be a little nauseating and I didn’t want her to be sick, not any more than she already is.”

“She does feel a little warm…”

Tina replied and they watched for a little longer, Tina seemingly entranced by the baby and Newt
by the sight in front of him.

They sat in silence for a while then Tina spoke up

“Has she got a name yet?”

He looked up at her, head tilted so he was almost eye level with the little girl

“Um yes, actually…” She looked up expectantly and he swallowed “Do you remember the story
you told me about the woman from the Old Testament? The Queen who saved all those people-“

“Wait, you’ve named her Esther?”

To his alarm she looked more surprised than happy, something bordering on shock as she looked at
him eyes wide.

“Yes?”

Her tone was still slightly high as she replied

“That was my Moms name…”

Seeing the small smile creep up on her face he relaxed slightly

“Oh?”

“Yeah, Eitan and Esther Goldstein…” Then her voice dropped and she shuffled awkwardly with
Esther on her lap “And it’s my middle name”

That made sense based on her expression and he murmured slowly

“Porpentina Esther Goldstein… How on earth did I forget you had such a beautiful name?”

She blushed at that, trying to brush him off with a shake of her head

“I don’t think I ever told you, it's on my ID but it’s a bit of a weird thing to know”

She chuckled awkwardly just as Esther made a noise of protest and pushed the bottle from her face.

“Um,” Tina stated, holding the bottle and the baby at an awkward angle.
“Here-“

He reached down and pulled Esther into his arms, she made a protest at being moved from Tina's
arms but Newt bounced her lightly

“Sh shhh Essie it’s alright Little Love”

“You got a bassinet for her?”

He looked at her quizzically and she looked equally confused at his reaction

“A what?”

“A bassinet? You know, for her to sleep in”

“Oh, a cradle?”

“Yeah?”

“Um, yes but it’s transfigured from my dining chair so we may want to think about replacing it”

“Ah okay,” Tina chuckled slightly before continuing “In the case?” He nodded and she climbed
down her voice faint “I got Queenie to make some clothes, she thinks she’s making it for a case at
work but she should be bringing them over soon…”

There was a pause then the cradle came floating out of the case lid, landing with a soft thud on the
carpet in front of him. Slowly he went to place her in the cradle before catching a very definite
smell and diverting to the dining table.

“She was happy to do it though then once she’s dressed and not as feverish maybe we could go get
her some stuff”

She reappeared out of the case and Newt acknowledged her with a small smile as he cleaned Esther
thoroughly.

“I think that’s a rather good idea”

The last part of his sentence was muffled by his wand in his mouth as he attempted to get Esther's
kicking legs back inside her nappy.

“There’s a place in Manhattan that’s a magical baby shop”

He looked over at her in mild surprise as he held his hand out as the bottle of feverfew oil went
flying into his and while he dropped a few drops on his finger and rubbed Esther's gums she
continued “What? We ran a case in a Goblin drugs gang opposite the store…”

Newt watched Tina then stoop down to grab the once again whimpering Esther whose tongue was
flying out at the taste of the feverfew

“That tastes yucky, doesn’t it?”

Tina chuckled, holding her more naturally than she did earlier leaving Newt quite content to settle
back on the sofa as Tina began to rock Esther, singing softly in a language he didn’t quite
understand.
He almost went to ask about it when the tug at his eyelids became too much and he settled against
the cushion before letting his eyes close, the gentle singing lulling him to sleep.
 When I am King, Dilly Dilly
Chapter Summary

Queenie finds out

He didn’t know how much later he awoke, but this time he had Esther asleep on his chest and Tina
was sat cross-legged on the armchair with glasses perched on her nose as she scribbled something.
He made a slight groan as he went to stretch before stopping himself at the sight of Esther's
bunched-up fist tapping against his chest in sleep, the only part of her breaking free of a blanket
draped over both of them.

“Tina?”

He murmured and she jolted, glasses sliding off of her nose

“Sorry… She kept crying for you and I didn't know what else to-“ Her eyes then lingered on his
tired expression before stating “-you aren’t sleeping properly again, are you?”

“In my defence-“ He whispered “There is a reason I named her after a star”

“Newt…”

She replied with a yawn and Newt chuckled

“Was that a yawn Miss Goldstein?”

“You’re the one who passed out on my couch Mr Scamander”

They shared a smile and Tina placed her parchment on the coffee table, watching as he sat up more
before she continued “She really seems to have…Settled with you”

At her tone Newt let his eyes drop down to where Esther was now sucking her thumb, eyes closed.

“She’s settled so quickly it makes me wonder how little kindness she was shown before, no child
should be so comfortable with a stranger”

Tina nodded and then replied

“You’ve got her now and that’s what matters”

He opened his mouth only to be interrupted by a knock on the door. Yet the knocker didn’t pause
and came bursting into the room to reveal Queenie carrying a paper bag with some sort of
vegetable poking out of the top of it in one arm and a cloth bag that seemed to be bulging with wool
and fabric. Queenie didn’t seem to notice their little cosy arrangement and began at the top of her
lungs

“TEE-“ Only to be quietened by Tina's rapid shushing “Oh hey Newt-“ There was a crash as she
dropped her bags on the table and her voice went almost painfully high as she stated “Is that a
baby?” There was a beat of rather tremulous silence where everyone sort of just looked at each
other then Tina exclaimed

“Queenie! I could’ve been changing!”

Queenie suddenly rounded on her, hands on hips.

“We lived together for years! You ain't getting away with that! Who’s baby is it? Mercy Lewis, it
isn’t yours is it?”

The last question was directed to himself and he scrambled to explain, more than a little annoyed
that the woman who could literally read his thoughts deemed it viable that he’d had someone back
in England.

“I found her outside an abandoned orphanage! She’s been abused and I don’t trust the Ministry to
look after her you see”

There was a beat then Queenie asked in disbelief

“So you just have a baby?”

“Yes… for now I suppose”

“He’s giving himself until he goes home to come up with an idea”

Tina explained and Queenie nodded before she suddenly plucked the now awake Esther off Newt's
chest, with much confusion for the former, and half squealed.

“Oh, you’re so sweet! I’ve gotta little pink dress, you’re gonna look the absolute berries!”

He sat up and watched as Queenie gently laid her on the table and began summoning delicately
embroidered nappies and dresses and every kind of knitted clothing imaginable in perfect
proportion with Esther’s tiny limbs.

“See, told you Queenie would have it covered”

Tina whispered and he smiled

“I hardly doubted it…”

“Mmm sure.”

“Oh, I guess as you get older I’m gonna have to make trousers again huh? Can’t have you runnin’
round in the case in a pretty pink dress, Not that that’s ever stopped Teenie when dances went
wrong- Waddya guys think?”

She held Esther up to reveal a surprisingly toned down long-sleeved cotton pink dress with
matching woollen socks which she was kicking with gusto. He stood up and walked over to her,
Tina in toe, and gently took her from Queenie's arms.

“Do you like it, Esther?”

He asked with a smile which only grew as she went “Ba” alongside a grin.

“Well I believe that’s the seal of approval”

He pulled her in and while Esther settled in the crook of his arm to suck on her new sleeves.

“Thank you, Queenie”

Tina told her sister sincerely and Queenie just winked.

“You could have told me, I would’ve made ‘em more Newt proof”

Her voice was light but there was a definite underlying tone

“Newt only got here today…”

Tina murmured then she took on the expression he knew meant she was thinking words to her
sister. Leaving them to it he moved Esther back over to the sofa, rather amused by her continued
bewilderment in being in clothes. An eruption of whispering occurred behind them and he
chuckled, taking Esther’s soggy fist out of her mouth to play with it.

“You’ll get used to it little one, it is yet another unfortunate paradigm of human existence.”
Esther’s eyes were now solely on him “Like the insistence on multiple outfits or people saying one
thing and meaning another. Although hopefully, you’ll find that easier than I ever did”

At that, she tugged on his finger and that too went into her mouth

“I suppose that’s a little while off though. Until then you’ll just have me to deal with I’m afraid”

It was the first time he’d mentioned keeping her longer than the month and it didn’t feel as foreign
as he first thought and, looking over his shoulder at the still minorly quarrelling sisters who were
almost completely silent apart from the occasional tut from Queenie, his little daydream with Tina
yesterday didn’t feel hideously far off either. “And Auntie Queenie and-“

He didn’t know why but it felt wrong to refer to Tina as an Aunt “and Tina and Uncle Jacob…” he
paused for a second “and my brother I suppose, although I’m going to get a right lecture from him
when he finds out”

Esther let out a babble and he grinned, tracing her cheek with his finger.

Queenie didn’t stay for much longer, the bakery apparently heaving with the life she'd given back
to Jacob. So it wasn't long until she came over while Tina was putting away the vegetables Queenie
had gotten. She pecked Esther on the head and then checked her sister was distracted before
whispering

“You and I both know you love her, don't let her go again”

He nodded, looking down at Esther before scrunching his eyebrows

“Wait… Again?”

He turned to Queenie who was making it to the door, however in lieu of an explanation she just
winked and looked pointedly at Tina before calling

“See you, you guys”

And walking out with a skip in her step.

There was a beat then Tina came over with a rather worn-looking blanket, a pink that Newt
assumed came from the cupboard Tina had shoved all of Queenie's belongings in after Paris.

“Newt whatever she just said don’t worry about it”

She murmured then Esther cooed again. “She still feeling hot?”

“Oh um no I think the feverfew has done its job thankfully”

Tina nodded, folding the blanket over the back of the chair

“You think she’s well enough for us to go get her some stuff?”

He considered the babbling weight in his arms and then said

“I believe so but I'm not entirely sure how to carry her around”

“We could transfigure wheels on that?” She gestured to the basket “And get her a proper bed we
can set up in the spare room”

“That should work…”

He cocked his head and Tina held out her arms to take Esther while Newt stood up and
concentrated, flicking his wand around until four functional, if not a little rickety, wheels sprouted
on the more basket-like bed. It didn’t look too far out from the current pram style and he chanced a
look at Tina who was nodding approvingly.

“Not exactly the sleekest I'm afraid”

“Saves having to carry her around”

“Ba”

Esther babbled and Tina smiled down at her, murmuring

“You approve then?”

It took a lot more manoeuvring than expected (and a change in clothes for both Esther and Tina
thanks to a mishap while changing) but eventually they were outside in the weak sunshine
fidgeting with blankets.

“We’re probably better walking, it's a bit of a walk-“

Newt grimaced at that, if there was anything that he had learnt from his previous visits to New
York that if anyone (especially Tina) in the city said it was a ‘bit of a walk’ then it was definitely a
several-mile trek through monotonous concrete. “It is only a bit, we can get on the subway”

He glanced at the pram between them and he twitched an eyebrow and she rolled her eyes

“I forget you’re a country boy”

Before pushing Esther down the street so fast that he had to speed up into his usual fast duckfooted
pace.

Newt decided he wasnt a fan of the ‘subway’. He could have told you this based on his prior
knowledge of the overall suffocating tube system in London but somehow the New York
equivalent was worse. It didn’t help that the moment they had gone underground he had felt the
prickly feeling of bad memories the last time he was in a tube station. A glance at Tina showed that
she was feeling equally uncomfortable and after a quick scan of a map, he felt it was only down to
his War knowledge he understood they piled onto the train. Thankfully due to the odd time of day,
there were plenty of places to sit and Esther was quite content with Tina pushing the pram back and
forth to the extent that by the time they had gotten off at the correct station at Manhattan, she was
rather soundly asleep. Meaning she wasn't very happy when she had to go in Tina's arms so Newt
could carry her pram back above ground level.

So Esther was fussing quite boldly as they walked into a room that smelt so strongly of lavender
Newt thought he was going to faint. He was already a little one edge from the crowd on the train,
the people in New York and still being a little thin on sleep so the smell made his hand lurch to his
pocket to start rubbing repetitively. Tina seemed to have caught the sudden movement and
ignoring the stalking sales assistant she asked

“You okay? I know it's been a bit…”

She trailed off but he caught her gaze and nodded

“I’ll be alright.”

He gave her a weak smile then a woman with two buns rather reminiscent of Bunty suddenly
appeared opposite the mackled-together pram and squealed.

“Tina Goldstein? Oh my Gawd!”

Tina blinked and then said much quieter

“Emmeline… It’s been-“

“Nearly twen’y years now! You made a way bigger splash than I did Miss Chief Auror!”

She then seemed to notice both himself and the pram and himself stood awkwardly

“This is Newt-“

“Hello.”

Emmeline looked at him and he saw the glint in her eye which usually meant she already knew him

“The author? I thought that was a rumour about you guys being, you know”

There was a beat and Tina chuckled awkwardly. They hadn't had the chance to discuss what they
would do if someone recognises them and happened to look in the pram to see a baby that by mere
coincidence looked rather similar to Tina. Both are absent of rings and seeing each other frequently
enough for a baby to not be a completely absurd coincidence.
“Yeah… It’s uh really not what it looks like”

Emmeline narrowed her eyes but she then smiled

“Don’t worry, it’s the twenties! People don't care about all that” Before looking into the pram
“Especially when you got such a cute daughter!”

Esther looked more than slightly offended when Emmeline tickled her foot before she clapped her
hands together with glee.

“How can I help you guys?”

“Um, we sort of need… Everything?”

Tina murmured and Emmeline raised a perfect red eyebrow

“She was a surprise”

Newt supplied and she nodded more understandingly before gesturing broadly to the store

“We’ll start with cribs!”

And they were half beckoned and half dragged to the arrangement of neat little cribs and sleep
items in every colour. Some rocked automatically, some emitted some and some had more
temperature charms on them than his case.

“Mercy lewis”

He heard Tina mutter as she turned over a paper tag and he ducked awkwardly to murmur

“Money isn’t an issue, the book has made me more than comfortable”

And with that, they began sorting through the items.

It felt like an eternity but must have only been half an hour when Emmeline had gone to ring up
most of what they had already purchased while he and Tina stared at a wall of baby toys and
books.

“How are there so many?” Tina murmured, picking up a soft pink rabbit and turning it over

“I suppose it's important to people, I had a hippogriff…” He replied, ears burning a little at the
memory.

“I had a bear, it's still somewhere in my flat…”

“See, importance”

She chuckled and stood on her tiptoes to grab something looking lamb-like as he perused the
bookshelf with every parenting book imaginable as well as several stories. He plucked up a book
named “The Common Sense of Baby and Childcare”, as well as making a mental note to get a
copy of Beedle The Bard next time he was in Diagon Alley, and moved to place it on the counter.
Emmeline gave a sympathetic smile and said

“You’re gonna wanna burn that book in the end Honey. Mr Spock ain't got much practical
experience-“ She then giggled and rather strangely rested a hand on his arm which he discreetly
shuffled away from, “ I think they’d have been better if you interviewed an auror department!”

He smiled awkwardly, trying to think of a response as the lavender burned his throat when
thankfully Tina came creeping behind him and placed the toy lamb as well as a toy bear on the
counter. Emmeline rung them up with the same smile as before, chatting to Tina about an
Ilvermorny reunion that was being planned and shoving a flyer In her hand before a rather painful
amount was written on a cheque to be taken straight out of his vault in Gringotts.

Once he had slid the unassuming piece of paper over, Emmeline picked up the cheque before
tilting her head.

“Where’s Gringotts?”

“It’s the English bank”

Tina supplied, fiddling with the pram, and the girl nodded slowly. Newt, seeing this as an
opportunity to breathe fresh air, slipped the bag of shrunken items over the counter and gestured
for Tina in what he hoped was a relaxed manner. She nodded and soon they were standing on the
pavement outside of the shop looking around for the nearest muggle. Suddenly he felt Tina stoop
next to his ear.

“How bad is she with apparating”

“Rather-“ he began with a weak smile “but I suppose she does have to get used to it.”

She nodded before turning them around and walking them to the nearest alleyway instead, flicking
a look at him still fiddling with his pocket

“I think it’ll be better for everyone if we get home quicker”

A sentiment he returned with a grateful smile.

It didn’t take long to reach a suitable alleyway and Tina directed him to stand by the wall as she
plucked Esther out of the pram again and handed her to him. Then she shrunk the pram down and
placed it in her pocket before grabbing his hand and apparating them on the spot.

They reappeared in the middle of Tina’s living room and as expected Esther took one great gulp of
air and then began to wail from the bottom of her lungs, tiny socked feet kicking out with a
surprising force that for one heartstopping moment, he thought he was going to drop her.

“Mercy Lewis I hope no one’s home!”

He faintly heard Tina exclaim before sweeping her hair back from her head with a stressed huff.

“Is there any milk left from earlier?”

He called as he began swaying gently making sounds he hoped qualified as comforting while Tina
went straight to the cold store and pulled out a half-filled glass bottle of Goats milk
“There's enough!”

She called before there was the usual rattling as she rummaged for the clean bottle she had put
away earlier. Thankfully, his mumbling and general movements seemed to have calmed her
enough that as he sat down and Tina appeared her mouth was relaxed enough for the bottle to be
taken in.

Once she was happily guzzling her milk Tina sat down with a thud beside him.

“She really doesn’t like apparating, does she”

“Which makes me think she’s a muggle… Or at least has a muggle mother”

“You think she might be a witch then?”

Tina asked, sounding genuinely intrigued and he turned to look at her, trying to bother the feeding
baby the least he could.

“It seemed reasonably well known that the orphanage I found her at had closed for muggles but
less well known that the magical side of things had been moved. I know in certain areas when
potentially magical people are born members of the outreach group like that magical library in
Poplar, will go see the mother when the child is very young in case the mother is muggle for
example or unaware of what’s on offer”

Esther grizzled at that, turning away from her bottle for a second to rub her nose on his waistcoat.

“What’s it like for magic and muggle couples in England?”

“Not that different from magical couples, some people are bigots and awful but that’s rather
unavoidable I suppose…” He then looked down at the gradually more sleepy-looking Esther in her
arms “I'm Assuming this little one's father was awful too”

“Those bruises…”

Tina trailed off and he nodded

“She’s safe now.”

Something not guaranteed if I let her go

The thought caused him to unconsciously tighten his hold on the baby

“Newt, you do know that if, if you like want to do this-“ her voice hitched as she seemed to be
searching for the words “I’ll be here”

He nodded, his eyes searching hers as his voice faded at the tone of her voice. Her face was set, a
way he knew meant there was no changing her mind, and with Esther now a sleeping mass in his
arms he swallowed slightly shakily before pressing their lips together.

It was only brief, barely a hint of what he’d rather do but it still caused her to light up in a brilliant
smile as she murmured.
“I was waiting for you to do that”

“I never meant to keep a lady waiting”

He replied and somehow her smile grew wider as she leaned back in to meet in a gentle kiss, this
time slightly longer in a way that made him murmur his appreciation. He felt her shift suddenly as
if to pull him closer before she stopped and they separated to look down at Esther.

“We better get her to bed first then we’ll have-“

“An hour and a half at most”

“Long enough”

She replied simply before dipping her hand in the pocket full of their recent purchases until she
produced the cot and stood up. He followed her and they walked into the rather plain-looking spare
bedroom, unused since he’d spent the first night in the neighbouring room.

There wasn’t much in there, Tina’s old bed up against the wall with a battered side table and a
worn chair underneath a window overlooking another street. Wordlessly Tina shrunk the bed
before picking it up and replacing it with the cot and returning it to its original size. With a few
more flicks the sheets were fitted and the blankets were gathered so that when Newt gingerly
placed Esther on the mattress she settled seamlessly against the fabric.

He stood there, holding his breath, waiting for the gasping cries when she merely lifted her thumb
between her lips. The lights slowly dimmed and with careful steps, he made his way over to where
Tina was leaning on the doorframe, coat now absent so her blouse caught the afternoon sun.

“You look…”

He trailed off and Tina went to say something before seemingly deciding against it and instead
pulled him toward her with a tug by the lapels of his great coat. With no sleeping infant between
them, Newt eagerly met her kiss for kiss and he hardly protested when Tina slipped his coat off,
his lips never leaving her skin, and pulled him by the wrists into the next room. Her hands were
nimbly undoing his bow tie and waistcoat and as his hands went to her blouse she murmured
breathlessly against his lips

“How long have we got?”

“Long enough”

A statement punctuated by her pulling him close again.

 You Shall be Queen
Chapter Summary

Esther has a checkup

Chapter Notes

Three of my works updated in a week? Madness. Anyway this is very cute, promise.

It was two days later Newt found himself nervously bouncing his knee again with Esther resting on
top of it. Her bouncing up and down in time with it and giggling around her thumb as he held onto
her. He was getting many funny looks from everyone else in the child healers waiting room,
consisting entirely of women with their sons and daughters. There was a child with their hand stuck
to their head, a little girl with giant orange boils all over her and a baby who had clearly had some
sort of potion spilt on him and was glowing green yet somehow all eyes were on him,Esther’s
giggling face and the bowtruckle who was still pouting at him from his pocket for a. Being left in
the case for so long and b. Being caught in the crossfire of Esther’s spit up earlier.

Newt had been grovelling all day, working in the case with a stroppy bowtruckle and a fidgety
infant had been interesting, and while Tina had said she would try to meet him at the appointment
he assumed auror work had gotten in the way of her lunch yet again. Making a mental note to have
plenty of food ready for her the moment she came home he kept his gaze on Esther. Thankfully her
temperature hadn’t returned since that first day but her chest seemed to sound a little off and well,
given the fact he had found her on a doorstep he wanted to make sure she was in perfect health.
Disrupting the little arrangement to pull out his ever so slightly battered pocket watch, he noticed
the appointment was running late so he let out a sigh while shifting his hand that supported her tiny
body to straighten the tiny knitted cardigan Queenie had shown off with a lot of joy yesterday at
dinner. Jacob had taken the news much as Queenie had, going from shock to utter joy and had
spent most of the evening responding to her nonsensical babbles with enthusiasm.

It had been nice, them gathered around the table with Esther in her cot beside them, occasionally
interrupting the meal with a coo or a reach for either Tina or himself. So nice in fact that they had
continued to eat and talk long after Esther had drunk her fill and been sung to sleep in what Newt
found out to be in Yiddish.

They felt like a family and even waiting on his awkward seat,prying Esthers wandering hand off of
his watch chain, he felt a warmth spread through him.
If he was honest it had been a warmth with him for days. Just that morning he had awoke with Tina
bare and cuddled around him rather reminiscent of his childhood kneazle, only disturbed by
Esther’s cries. He went to tend to her and once he returned with his dressing gown tied loose
around his hips, Esther changed and working her way through her bottle, he had slid back into bed
and spent the next hour dozing with Esther on his lap and Tina glued to his side. Then Tina had
gone to work and he had completed his creature rounds with Esther attached to his chest before
making his way to the child healers in the East Side.

Where he was now sat pondering whether the magazine on pregnancy would be an interesting read
when there was a clatter of the door and Tina came launching in. Coat tied tightly around her and
her mouth in a thin line as she collapsed into the seat beside him, features only lightening as Esther
raised her arms and let out a noise for Tina. Obviously,she obliged, lifting the still too light baby to
settle against her chest before resting her head on his shoulder with a huff. Giving her a moment to
breathe he looked around the room again to see all eyes were on them still before asking.

“Everything quite alright?”

“No. The people I work with are idiots”

“Ah”

He tried not to let his amusement creep into his voice but he obviously wasn’t successful as Tina
sat up with an ever so slight scowl.

“I mean I know paperwork is like the worst part of the job and I got like three hours sleep max last
night but how hard is it to send memos to the right damn place!”

Her voice had gone louder and more shrill before her head had gone thudding back down onto his
shoulder again. There were now some distasteful looks being directed towards them, especially at
their lack of wedding rings, however it didn’t seem to deter a girl he’d put about four from toddling
up to them. Blue eyes wide and thumb in her mouth as she looked up at them before asking

“You sound funny Mistah”

Slightly taken back he merely blinked before stammering

“Um yes I suppose I do”

The little girl tilted her head

“My Momma says some people talk funny because they’re sick. Are you sick Mistah?”

“Oh um no, I’m from a place rather far away from here”

“Over the seas?”

“Yes actually, very far away”

At his words he felt a strange stab of rarely felt homesickness and he shuffled as he felt Tina sit up.

“Are you from far away too?”

The question was directed to Tina who shook her head as she replied
“Im as New York as it comes”

The little girl then went on her tiptoes to look at Esther

“Is she sick?”

“Maybe”

He replied honestly and she replied idly

“My baby brother’s sick. Momma says it’s ‘cause of Papa's special smoke. Do you smoke
Mistah?”

“No, I’m not a fan. My brother has a pipe but between you and me it’s because he thinks it makes
him look distinguished”

He raised his eyebrows as he ducked down more to her height, carefully avoiding her eyes by
looking at one blonde pigtail as she giggled

“You’re funny. My Papa isn’t funny…”

“Marlene! Don’t go botherin’ people”

An exhausted woman in the corner called as she came over,a feverish looking baby whimpering on
her breast.

“I’m so sorry”

The woman sighed, going to tug Marlene away before Tina settled forward.

“It’s alright”

“Momma she said it was alright”

The woman looked between him and Tina then the seat directly opposite them that had been
skilfully avoided since his suitcase had emanated a rather ominous growl,most likely from Edward
enjoying his lunch, before sitting down exhausted.

Marlene sat at her feet and waved while their mother cast a whispered spell on a rag before placing
it against the baby’s flushed forehead.

“Your first one?”

“Um kinda?”

Tina settled on and the woman nodded

“Good luck”

Just as a door opened and a far too perky looking healer, all wire rimmed glasses and gangly limbs
chirped

“Esther Scamander!”

To what seemed to be the relief of the entire waiting room as they scrambled to their feet.
“Bye Bye”

Marlene called and they waved back as they hurried to where the Healer was smiling over at them.

“Come in and take a seat”

There were two of the same uncomfortable wooden chairs from the waiting room beside a
rudimentary bed for examining. Esther let out a happy noise at the change of scenery and kicked
her legs as he and Tina sat down opposite a stained oak desk. The Healer stuck a clipboard under
his arm and held out a hand which while he shook slightly tentatively while balancing Esther with
the other Tina seemed to nearly break the poor man’s hand in a silent threat.

“I’m Healer Wilkins and I’ll be Esther’s healer until she turns Eleven”

Trying not to shift to obviously at his statement, despite his decision leaning in one definite
direction the doubt made guilt pool on his stomach, he offered a weak smile. “Now I’ve seen that
Ivy has written she’s a special case?”

“Um yes”

He murmered then Tina spoke

“You can’t say anything to anyone, can you? Like confidentiality”

The Healer blinked then stammered

“Well um- Not unless I have any concerns ”

“Yeah and you better keep to that” He didn’t need to look over at Tina to know her stare was
withering at that precise moment “‘Cause as Head of an Auror Department, I got a lot of people to
keep her safe from”

There was a beat then the healer nodded and stated solemnly

“Completely understandable”

“Great, now we gotta fill you in”Tina began and the Healers eyebrow somehow furrowed further
as he picked up a quill “She’s not ours- Not biologically Newt found her abandoned and we think
someone might have hurt her”

“We just want to make sure that she’s healthy”

He added and the Healer nodded, eyebrows still concerned.

“So you have no idea about her parentage?”

“None at all, she had some bruises on her and I found her in London…”

“Right.”

The Healer did not look pleased, even when Newt offered a tight lipped smile, before gesturing to
the bed.
“Let’s put her on here then and we’ll see what we’re dealing with”

He obliged and laid her down before reluctantly returning to his chair, only fully sitting when Tina
had taken up hold on her flailing fist at the first grumbles of a cry.

Healer Wilkins didn’t appear too bothered by Esther's protests and simply held the stethoscope up
to her heart and then more on her ribs as he mumbled to himself. He directed the quill to write
something then he pulled out a wooden stick and began to push around in her mouth. Esther
decided to make more of a statement at that point, Tina's hand no longer enough, as she began to
cry and Newt was certain his heart cracked in two at the sound, taking Tina's hand in his. Once
again though Wilkins didn’t stop in his probing, not even hesitating when he went to give her first
round of dragon pox vaccination. Newt however was watching with abject horror at the size of the
needle,he’d been vaccinated as part of the war programme when the vaccine was in its infancy and
his was never that large. He remained seated as the Healer quickly squirted it in, then he couldn’t
stop himself anymore and lunged forward,narrowly beating Tina and scooping Esther up as her
cries turned into wails.

“I’m so so sorry” He stammered to her as she screamed and Newt pulled her close,starting to
bounce her with her head cradled by his palm. “You’re alright, you’re okay”

Tina stood up to join him and she stroked Esther's back, whispering a string of nonsensical words
into her ear which seemed to finally calm her slightly.

“She ain’t yours, huh?”

The Healer commented with a small smile, looking at the three of them with a peculiar look and
Newt realised in the moment he may have shed a tear or two. Not quite knowing how to respond he
looked to Tina who was too busy trying to dry Esther's eyes with a leather sleeve. Silently offering
up his handkerchief she smiled in thanks and thankfully under Tina's ministrations Esther quieted
to a sniffle.

“Well, Mr and Mrs Scamander” Tina didn’t even attempt to correct him, instead giving a huff, as
she wiped at Esther's nose “Her lungs are sounding a little raspy so I recommend giving her a few
drops of this in her milk” He produced a small blue bottle “Use it ‘til the crackling stops and i'm
going to also prescribe this-“ He then pulled out a bottle that was easily four times the size “And
four drops of this per bottle of milk, nutrient potion- will make sure she gets everything she needs”

He nodded and Tina replied

“Other than that-“

“She’s far too light and i think she’s been quite injured but i believe you found her in time, no
lasting damage”

“Thank Merlin” He murmured,looking down at her fuzzy head, and Tina added

“All healthy”

They moved to the door and the Healer waved them off
“I'll see you in three months for a check up”

“We might um maybe- We aren’t sure whether-“

“I’ll see you in three months”

He repeated and ushered them out the door.The waiting room was as full as it had been when they
went in yet this time it was a whole new array of problems including twins that appeared to be
glued together by some kind of purple substance. He supposed that was one of the risks of raising
children, you just had to roll with the injuries. He certainly knew he caused more than enough
issues for his mother falling out of trees and cutting himself on rocks.

They had to wait momentarily to pay for their potions, Tina did so considering he hadn’t gotten any
American currency yet, then they walked out into the freezing overcast day. Thankfully the pram
had remained untouched and they deposited her in there with a discreet whisper of heating charms
on the woollen blanket. He then turned to Tina

“When do you finish lunch?”

She checked her wristwatch then squinted

“Twenty minutes?”

She replied and he gestured down the road where Central Park stood.

“Fancy a brief stroll in this lovely spring weather?”

She chuckled and began to push the pram down the street

“As long as Es doesnt get too cold”

“She's wrapped up in multiple layers of wool and heating charms, i fear she may be the only one of
us who is actually warm”

“Probably, but you’re always warm”

Tina replied and he shook his head, taking his scarf off from around his neck to wrap around hers

“I’m not always warm”

“You’re like an incendio charm, just a little bit less destructive”

At that he smiled and commented simply

“Well it's a good job you’re always cold then, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, I guess it is…”

She then looked down at the pram handle as they walked and Newt wasn't entirely sure if her pink
cheeks were from the cold or his statement.

They reached the park and while Esther cooed at the surroundings, getting especially enraptured by
the frills of his scarf bouncing in time with Tina's steps, they slowed to a more amiable walk as
Tina identified a Hot Dog stand. Utterly incapable of arguing with her, and rather hungry, they
didn’t speak again until they were perched on a damp bench with their coat collars stuck up around
their necks. Tina was absorbed with seemingly eating her hot dog in the shortest amount of time
humanly possible so he pensively rocked Esther causing her to give him , well his vicinity anyway,
a delighted smile. Seeing her happy again caused some of the guilt at letting the Healer poke and
prod her ebb and as he leaned in to tickle her cheek she let out a happy squeak and kicked her legs
against the blanket.

“She’s not going anywhere, is she?”

Tina asked quietly and Newt sighed

“I have no idea how i'm going to do this- absolutely none” he scrunched up his napkin in his hand
“But- the mere thought of leaving her at some orphanage- Where she might not be loved- I-I
can’t-“

“I know” Tina whispered, reaching in to fiddle with the blanket while he continued to stroke
Esther's cheek “Me neither. I spent way too much of my life without a Ma or Pa to let her grow up
like that”

He nodded, swallowing

“Most parents don’t know what they’re doing, surely they don’t?”

“Yeah… everyone just sort of makes it up as they go along right?”

“Although…Most don’t have creatures to control”

“No… Or auror departments”

They fell into a quiet contemplation then Tina stated

“We’ll work things out- We worked things out with each other and that seemed impossible not too
long ago”

“I suppose,” Newt murmured before looking at his palm “Your beast department isn’t hiring by
any chance, is it?”

She gave a snort

“It's basically non existent, its aurors that deal with the cases and you can imagine how well that
goes”

“Hmmm, maybe I’ll try and talk to the President- Or someone remotely in charge”

“Use your classic Scamander charm, you mean?”

He gave a laugh that he’s rather embarrassed to admit sounded more akin to a giggle than a
booming guffaw.

“Well it worked on the Head Auror didn’t it?”

Tina giggled too, biting her lip slightly as she looked over at him. Hands now brushing in the pram
as Esther gave a coo.
“Maybe a little bit,”

Their eyes met and despite the fact they were very much in public with two very bare ring fingers
Newt was utterly helpless to lean in and kiss her gently. In that moment,the entire world fell away
as Tina's hand crept up to cup his jaw.

Unfortunately, as they kissed sweetly on the bench they failed to notice the faint snap of a camera
and the barely audible delight of the person who snapped it. A front page article for sure.
 Call up Your Men, Dilly Dilly
Chapter Summary

News travels fast

Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

Newt stumbled into the kitchen the next morning convinced he was one wrong move from falling
asleep as he stood. Despite getting Esther to settle rather swiftly after the Healer appointment the
site of the vaccine seemed to be rather uncomfortable meaning that if she wasn't in either Newt or
Tina's arms she would scream loud enough to make the walls shake.

The longest stretch of sleep either of them had had was when he had fallen asleep in the chair they
had stuck in her room for about an hour and a half before she awoke in need of a bottle. Tina had
taken her for half an hour while he fed the creatures his breakfast and to pick up Pickett who must
have been in cahoots with Dougal as both had refused to come up with him that night. The turncoat
bowtruckle was now sat in his hair as he blundered around the kitchen trying to get some
scrambled eggs to cook and for once he was leaning towards coffee rather than his usual cup of tea.

The eggs were almost cooked when Tina's arrival was heralded by a groan and he looked up to see
her looking remarkably put together, if not for the dark patches under her eyes, with Esther looking
quite pleased with herself in the crook of her arm.

“She seems to have finally settled”

He commented eventually around a yawn, beginning to do up his waistcoat and cuffs while Tina
placed Esther in her basket and downed her cup of coffee in a way that endeared him more each
day.

“We’re going to have to try and keep her awake as well if we got any hope of sleepin’ tonight”

“I’ll do my best- Oh bugger!”’

He cast his eye on the eggs to see they were now a rather fetching charcoal colour, smoke starting
to bellow quite impressively into the air.

“Newt!” Tina reprimanded,gesturing to Esther making him look somewhat guilty. She then padded
around to see the mess on the stove causing her to let out a gusty sigh

“Let’s just go to The Bakery.” She mumbled, pulling on her boots and beginning to lace them as
he vanished the mess on the stove “Might be able to get a second cup of coffee too”

He hummed in agreement as he finished his mug, wincing at the bitterness, and he went to cringe
again as he ran his hand through his bed head when his hand was swatted aside and he felt a comb
land neatly in his hand making him shoot her a grateful glance before he stooped to lace them. By
the time he had stood Tina had already placed Esther in her pram and tucked her in and was now
waiting with a poorly muffled yawn. Taking his position at the helm of the pram he looked down
at the little passenger, sucking on her thumb with wide eyes.

“It‘s a rather good job you’re so charming”

He said to her and he smiled to himself as she continued to stare up at him and Tina chuckled as
she opened the door to the flat before pausing

“Uhh Newt-“

She gestured to his hair and he furrowed his brow when Pickett gave a squeak,causing him to pull
him out of his hair.

~*~

The streets were starting to fill with the daily traffic of workers, something that Newt likened to
bees in a hive, but they were yet to reach ‘rush hour’ so they could push the pram with ease
towards Kowalski Bakery. Only receiving the odd look at Newt pushing the pram while Tina
walked sternly next to him with her leather coat tied around her. They were walking steadily in
almost complete silence,apart from Esther's intrigued coos at the various sounds and pigeons,given
the mutual exhaustion. It wasn’t an uncomfortable silence, in reality it was the silence he was most
comfortable in. Silence with Tina never had any other purposes or ulterior motives, it was simply
time with her and nothing filled him with more joy than that.

They didn’t live far from the Kowalski Bakery and within ten minutes they had joined the short
queue and stepped into the sweet smelling bakery. Looking around he saw that no one had noticed
them yet, Queenie chatting away to someone as she packaged up a fresh loaf while Jacob was
refilling one of the counters with cinnamon rolls. Seeing Tina perk up at the sight of her favourite
sweet treat he smiled over at her who rolled her eyes lightly in response. It was nice to be so free,
hidden in the grey backdrop of Muggle New York. No one scarcely tossed them a second look.

Yet one person set their sights on them and he watched as Queenie gave them a Queenie style grin
as she waved on her customer. There were still a few in front of them so Queenie called to Jacob as
she got an elderly man his order.

“Hey it’s the little family!”

He called over the hustle and he and Tina ducked their heads with a blush as they pushed Esther out
of the queue to come to a stop the other side of the counter in front of Jacob.

“How’s my little niece?”

He asked and Newt went to correct him when he registered the pure joy in his friends voice and
mumbled

“She’s fine”

“Had a shot yesterday and didn’t like it”

He watched as Jacob peered over the counter and at the arrival of another face she knew would
gush over her she let out a pleased coo.

“She looks happy enough to me-“ he then paused on their faces “You guys okay?”

“She’s spent most of the past twenty four hours screaming if she wasn’t being held by one of us.
Wouldn’t sleep”

Tina sighed, slumping against the counter

“You guys wanting some coffee then?”

“You’re the best brother in law ever”

She stated matter of factly and Jacob looked momentarily bewildered by Tinas sudden declaration
before clearing his throat and given her a cheeky grin.

“You’re a pretty good sister in law too doll. You guys want food?”

He asked as he began getting his all new coffee press to hum to life and Newt could have kissed
Jacob

“Please, my attempts at eggs this morning were rather abysmal”

“No worries”

He handed them both a sticky bun, his studded with fruits and Tina's sticky with cinnamon, as he
busied himself with pulling faces at their little night owl.

“I guess you’re gonna be dealing with not much sleep for quite a while huh? She’s gonna be
teethin’ and all sorts and then she’s gonna be this little person who’s gonna want stories and milk
and cookies before bed.”

He smiled tiredly, the image of that same toddler he had thought of the night he had found Esther
flooding his senses. This time she wasn’t just sat on Tinas lap, rather she was sitting up in a small
bed with a book clutched to her chest and wide pleading eyes as she asked for “Just one more
story”. A little bob of dark curls similar to Tina’s and a stuffed Hippogriff curtesy of his-

“Oh dear.”

Newt muttered suddenly, filling the somewhat happy silence and Jacob cocked his head from
dangling his keys in front of a giggling Esther.

“My mother is going to kill me”

“Why?”

Tina asked around her bun, somehow with half the sweet treat in her mouth in one bite.

“I was meant to go to dinner the night after I found Esther. She’s probably got a howler on its way
as we speak”

“Mercy Lewis Newt.” Tina sighed, placing the other half of her bun on top of the paper bag. “I’m
guessing she’s not going to be happy about that”

“My mother is a very caring woman but she did threaten that if I missed another dinner she’d tie
me upside down to a Hippogriff”

“She ain’t gonna be that bothered surely pal, next time you see her she’s gonna have a grandchild”

“Oh Merlin’s beard!” He groaned, running a hand over his face “ Mums going to jump to all sorts
of conclusions-“

“To be fair buddy, everyone’s gonna-“ Jacob then gestured to Esther “for someone who weren’t
even born on the same continent- she looks plenty like Tina”

“Yes, just as beautiful”

He murmured distractedly as he took a large bite of his bun, mind racing with how on earth how he
could explain to his parents and his brother before too many words were said, causing him to not
notice Tina's healthy blush or Jacobs eyebrow raise.

“Well um, I’m gonna get to work”

Tina murmured, pecking his cheek and reaching into Esther’s pram to tug on her foot in a goodbye.
Esther just let out a coo before busying herself with chewing on her foot and Newt caught Tina's
hand,giving it a squeeze.

“Have a good day?”

“Hmph I’ll try and if you’re Moms howler comes just write a letter back,okay?”

He smiled to himself at her concern

“Alright…”

She then left with a wave to Queenie leaving him rocking Esther in the bakery.

~*~

MACUSA was oddly quiet as she made her way to her office. Not due to a lack of people,no the
place was as busy as any other day,but as she passed people's conversations seemed to dim to mere
whispers. Something that immediately made something unpleasant lodge in her stomach,reminded
all too clearly of when she had been demoted.

However Tina wasn't the same insecure and hurt person she had been then so instead she
rearranged her coat and boarded the elevator with a stern expression. Chances are it had nothing to
do with her and she was simply being paranoid. There was nothing that could be so scandalous that
would get everyone’s tongues wagging to that extent. Apart from maybe an illegitimate baby.

Her insides turned to ice.

Suddenly the elevator couldn’t go fast enough and she nearly fell out in her haste catching herself
on the desk as her bustling auror department fell silent. Fear,annoyance and impatience flooding
her sense she barked

“Aurors, somebody has five seconds to tell me what in Circe’s name is going on!”

For a second nobody moved, at most a couple shuffled awkwardly under her glare, before Peterson
(who was absolutely not her favourite) came forward.

“It was on the front page of The Ghost ma’am”

Out of all the things a Head Auror could hear,Tina was certain that was one of the worse.

“What was?” Once again,the question was met with silence as she cleared her throat “Aurors-“

Then a copy of that day's Ghost came flapping over before settling in her hand. She unfolded it
with an air of confidence which immediately wilted at the front page. A picture of her and Newt
gazing lovingly into each other's eyes before meeting for a kiss,not ideal to have their tentative
relationship outed to the world but what was worse was what else was visible. Clear as day
between their moving images sat the pram holding Newt's most precious rescue.

Scamander-Goldstein Baby?

Yesterday at 13:00 Head Auror Goldstein was seen in Central Park near the MACUSA building.
Something that would not have been of note if it wasn't for those accompanying her. Since their
daring actions in ‘26 and then again in ‘27 there have been many rumours about the
unconventional relationship between the fierce Head Auror and the rogue Magizoologist Author
yet here is proof of their relationship in the form of a bassinet.

There had been no remarks about any changes to Goldstein so her pregnancy must have been
disguised using complex charms.

We have yet to receive any family comments which leads us to believe that the renowned
Scamander family are embarrassed by their sons scandalous activities involving the New
Yorker,especially war hero and fellow Head Auror of the British Ministry Theseus Scamander.

Will there soon be wedding bells to cover up such scandalous behaviour-

Unable to read anymore she slammed the paper onto the desk,looking up to see her entire auror
departments eyes on her.

“Do you all truly believe this? Do you honestly believe that I’ve been pregnant for the best part of
a year? That I’d leave a newborn at home ? That I’d go on raids and missions and arrests if I was
actually carrying a child?”

The only person to respond was Achilles who murmured

“You aren’t exactly one for backin’ down”

“Honestly!” She huffed,hands going to rest on her hips, “Listen up, and none of you go chatting to
the rags unless you wanna get real comfy in my old seat in wand permits” Watching people shift
their arms so they were standing less defensively she took this as a sign to go on “She’s mine. But
not by blood. None of the rest of it is any of your business”

She then strode straight into her office,slamming the door for good measure.

She then collapsed into her chair,wheeling back until she bumped against the bookshelf behind her.
The minute she had moved into the office she hadn’t had trophies and awards to fill her shelves so
instead the walls were stuffed with books and a few picture frames giving it a cosy appeal that
completely erased Grindelwalds taint. Yet at that moment she looked at her childhood pictures and
moving images of Newt and almost wished they were full of achievements she could use as an
extra layer of armour.

Aurors were never mothers. Aurors very rarely were wed,not the women. Often they died or left
once they had received a proposal,then she’d never see them again. Moving upstate to somewhere
with a picket fence.She wasn't technically a Mother,not by blood, but somehow she wanted to be
one to that little girl Newt had found. They could be a little family,just the three of them. Ever
since Newt had arrived back in New York, when she had laid back in bed,sometimes with his head
pillowed on her bare chest, she hadn't imagined her usual scenes of the future. Of war and pain and
loneliness fighting on some long forgotten hillside before returning battle weary to an empty
apartment the past few days they had been different. She’d still been tired from battle, the
imaginary wounds deep,but she had been greeted by the thunder of feet as Esther ran into her arms.
She could imagine her excitable chatter at everything she had done with Newt that day as she
walked into the room then Newt would pull her into a kiss in greeting,maybe they would have even
given Esther a sibling or two who would come crawling over.

It sounded so much nicer than her old expectations but she wasn't even certain if Newt wanted to
raise Esther with her. He’d have to go back to England eventually and unless Theseus had a major
promotion she would be going down a level in both skills and pay-

Although he did talk about getting a job in New York…

She shook her head,she couldn’t let herself get ahead of herself like that. For now she was just
helping Newt care for her while she and Newt lived as if they were man and wife. What happened
next was officially in his court.

Trying not to let her confidence waver at her thoughts she pulled her still considerable stack of
paper towards her,at least there was still paperwork to keep her busy.

~*~

And it did keep her busy,incredibly busy until just after her little clock,with miniaturised threat
metre, struck three. She hadn’t left her desk,her stomach protesting a little at the choice, but
MACUSA gossip was brutal and she didn’t particularly want to spend her time queuing for a
sandwich while everyone was secretly eyeing her midriff. Yet keeping out of the public eye had
meant she'd been entirely undisturbed so when there was a brisk knock at the door she
jumped,knocking her inkpot over.

Groaning to herself she stooped to the floor to pick it up, calling “Come in!” Through gritted teeth.
There wasn't an immediate response so she was about to call again just as she closed her hand
around the inkpot when a familiar voice stated

“Good afternoon Tina”

In her surprise she smacked her head on her desk before rising to sit back in her seat,putting the ink
back in the pot with a flick of her hand.

“Theseus…”

The last time she had seen him was two days after Queenie and Jacobs wedding where he had
almost been floating with new found optimism, even giving her a parting hug and a teasing ruffle of
her hair. Standing in front of her now ,however, he looked simply furious . His arms were crossed
and his shoulders broad forming quite a formidable wall.His face was almost blank and amongst
the freckles he shared with his brother was a smudge of soot on his cheek from floo travel. He
didn’t even speak as he dropped a copy of The Prophet on her desk,the same picture from the
morning Ghost adorning the front page although with this one you could see Esthers fist poke out
of the blankets. Then he stared pointedly at her. When she didn’t respond he gave a strangled sigh

“Why didn’t you tell me.”

“Tell you what?”

She spoke into her desk

“Don’t act stupid” He replied shortly “Why didn’t you tell me I had a niece or nephew I mean-
Merlins beard! You must have been six months gone last I saw you!”

“Theseus will you lower your voice!”

She hissed, her room was supposedly sound proof but she didn’t particularly want to test it.

“No! You hid this from me! I just- I can’t believe” His voice broke a little then and the angry
facade seemed to crack slightly under the force of the emotion “I can’t believe you and Newt didn’t
tell me you were having a child of all things”

“Theseus… Please just sit down-“

She gestured to the seat in front of her and he hesitated before settling on the edge of the chair
causing it to squeak slightly in protest.

“It’s not what it seems Theseus I-“

“Are you courting my brother?”

He cut in and she blushed slightly as she looked over to the photo of her and Newt dancing at the
wedding

“Yes,I suppose you could say that.”

“And is that really a baby in that photo?”

“Yes.”

“Well-“

“Theseus will you just-“

She began before there was another knock,she glanced over to Theseus who just slightly tiredly
waved his hand, clearly more interested on her supposed explanation so she hesitantly called

“Come in!”

There was a moment of shuffling then the door swung open to reveal Newt pushing in Esther,eyes
almost frantic as his gaze flickered around her features

“I’m sorry to disturb you Tina-“ He began before pausing at the sight of his brother,the panic on
his features worsening as his hands fluttered around the pram handle

“It’s alright” She murmured,moving to rest a hand on his as she ignored Theseus momentarily.
“I’m guessing you saw the paper?”

“Yes and I thought- It’s irrational- but I thought just in case someone wanted to-to hurt her because
they now know a-and I- Well I guessed-“ His eyes landed on Theseus “That my family would be
rather swift to respond”

“Yes…” Theseus mused before standing up and walking over to him before smacking him around
the ears,tone back to lecturing “What in Merlins name were you thinking? I mean how
irresponsible can you be Newt to have a baby with a woman you’re not even on the same continent
on?”

“Theseus-“

“I mean i know you struggled with keeping your case closed I didn’t realise your trousers suffered
the same-“

“Merlins Beard Theseus!”

Newt protested,ears instantly going an impressive red, and Theseus went to shout again when a tiny
giggle issued from the pram. Visibly Theseus jumped before looking down and Tina looked to
Newt who shot her a concerned glance.

There was a moment of silence where Tina didn’t even dare to breathe as Theseus looked down at
her before he gently reached down and pulled her out of the pram,holding her up appraisingly
before settling her against his chest. Then in a voice more gentle than she had ever imagined the
brash war hero to possess he murmured

“Hello… Aren’t you a lovely surprise”

Tina could have fainted in relief

“She is rather,isn’t she?”

Newt whispered and Theseus let out a sigh,moving to stroke her cheek with a delicate finger.

“I’m not really that angry about you two doing- you know I just wished you would have told me,
she’s really quite beautiful”

“She isn't ours Theseus”

Newt mumbled and Theseus looked up at him with a blank expression,not angry but simply
stunned

“I don’t understand.”

“Tina didn’t- birth her I-I found her”

“You found her”

“She’d been abandoned at an orphanage”

Theseus gave a long suffering sigh

“Yes, that is generally what orphanages are for”

“The orphanage didn’t exist anymore,it was abandoned and had been used for teaching
underprivileged children before Hogwarts. I was meant to be giving a talk there on magical
creatures but they had been moved to some unknown location. I couldn’t leave her there so I-I took
her”

There was a moment then Theseus looked between her and Newt before back down at Esther

“So you, an unmarried,thirty year old man who carries every type of man eating beast in his
briefcase is going to raise a baby”

“Yes.”

There was an awful beat of stomach turning silence where Theseus assessed his brother and said
not discouragingly but with no small amount of brotherly concern.

“Do you think you can handle it?”

She watched as Newt straightened his posture,speaking straight into his brothers eyes.

“I’m with Tina, of course I can”

Theseus nodded then, a swift motion, before returning his gaze to the baby in his arms

“So…What’s her name then?”

“Her names Esther, she was a-“

Newt supplied before Theseus interrupted

 “Warrior queen wasn’t she,from the Old Testament?”

“Is that a problem?”

“Not at all.Suits her quite well actually” Theseus mused as Esther raised her fist “Esther
Scamander… Has she got a middle name?”

Newt began to reply with a negative when she tentatively interrupted

“I was thinking maybe,Leta?”

She looked to Newt for a reaction but he simply gave her a small,slightly stunned smile.

“Yes, I um I think she would have liked that”

He replied and Theseus added,voice cracking slightly under the force of the memories

“She always was very passionate about children having homes- For children to be in homes with
people who loved them. I-I of course now know why but… I think Esther Leta is a lovely name”

Esther let out a sniffle at his attention and then a gasp that Tina was starting to understand meant
she wanted feeding or changing so gently took the bundle from Theseus’ outstretched arms. Seeing
Theseus’ faintly insulted expression Tina explained

“She’s just hungry or something,it's nothing personal”

“If she takes after her father i fear I'll have plenty of much more personal slights later on”

Newt was rummaging around his pockets for her bottle so he didn’t seem to register that Theseus
had called him a father but at the sound of it Tina's mouth pulled up in a small smile. He then
reappeared clutching her bottle and passed it to her as she eased it into her mouth, smile widening
at her little whimpers as she guzzled it down.

“I’m assuming Mum doesn’t know about her?”

“No… Do you think she’ll be happy?”

“I think she’ll be furious then absolutely over the moon- she’s been wanting Grandchildren the
moment you left home. She’s going to be rather spoiled”

The brothers continued muttering between each other, clearly devising a plan between the two of
them so Tina dropped her gaze to Esther who’s eyes were drooping. She would keep her safe, if not
in the auror department then at their home and the little baby who had been left would be so loved.
Tina would make sure of it.

Chapter End Notes

I love Theseus and Newts relationship of “You’re an absolute idiot, how can I help you
fix this” so I tried to put that into this. Also Theseus is soft around babies, we’ve all
seen the deleted Qilin scene.
 Set Them to Work
Chapter Summary

Newt decides that he hates Tabloids

Chapter Notes

The fact this was written at all was a miracle. The block is real. Anyway if anyones
wondering how the heatwave is in Europe I could not tell you because we’ve had
almost constant rainfall for almost three weeks and its almost recordly cold. That
being said hope everyone who is very hot is staying safe and is in an airconditioned
country.

To everyone’s surprise, it took quite a few days for anyone else to bother them. The working body
of MACUSA had appeared rather too horrified at the scandalous behaviour of two such high-
ranking individuals to even dare voice their opinions aloud.

As if half of them haven’t done worse in broom cupboards

Tina thought bitterly as she made her way out of the whispering Auror office into the hum of the
main gates. Too exhausted to stay too late Tina had snuck away at five, she had a raid early
morning tomorrow and had told everyone to leave at the same time for an early night, so happy to
be joining the steady flow of people she set her thoughts to other things.

Newt hadn’t appeared too upset about the rumours, more upset about how it could officially affect
her and Esther’s safety. She was well aware of any potential problems and she didn’t particularly
care if people thought Esther was her daughter, she’d heard far worse from the MACUSA gossip
mill. Still, until the gossip had fully died down she wasn’t very keen on leaving Esther
unaccompanied during the night and for the past few days Esther had slept in her cot at the end of
their bed while Theseus slept in her room.

Rather irritatingly, Theseus had hastily booked a few days off and while he had brought some
paperwork with him she had a feeling he was instead doing something with Newt to pass the time
that neither of them were telling her about. So wondering what the brothers had gotten up to, and
wondering whether they’d gotten into yet another argument, Tina disappeared in a twist of light to
reappear in her buildings allocated apparition room, she didnt like to risk apparating into a
potentially full living room. Well, Apparition room was rather an optimistic term, it was a
cupboard set into the third floor hallway and Tina stepped out onto the wooden landing with a
sigh.
Esther had settled slightly since the shot for dragon pox but she was still waking up several times a
night demanding something or other and while Newt wanted her to rest for work, Tina didn’t want
Newt exhausting himself so she woke up every time. This coupled with the stress of MACUSA
meant that Tina very much wanted to fall asleep on the couch with Esther passed out on top of her
and Newt quietly writing using her legs as a table, she had very quickly found out that that
particular lay out was strangely comfort. So eagerly, she pushed open the door to reveal Theseus
sat in the seating area with an expression of amusement upon his face and following his gaze she
saw why. Their living room floor was scattered with various toys and creatures where in the centre
sat Newt who was crouched beside Esther on a blanket trying to stop a fight which had broken out
between Teddy and Pickett about a shiny rattle that a confused Esther was trying to grab. In the
commotion no one had noticed her arrival so smiling in delight she asked to the room

“What’s going on here,then?”

Then several things happened at once: Newt in his delight at seeing her loosened his grip on the
rattle causing Teddy to go flying backwards pulling Pickett with him, the pair of them landing with
a squeak against the clothes horse,Esther completely unbothered by her arrival hiccuped causing
milk to spew out of her mouth and Theseus gave a snort into his tea causing it to dribble onto his
trousers.

“Oh lovely.”

Newt stated, scooping Esther up to wipe her mouth as he got to his feet. Once she was sufficiently
clean he loped over to peck her lips

“Nice day?”

“I was about to ask the same thing”

She chuckled, gesturing to the splodge of spit up on his waistcoat, blending in with what looked
like some seaweed,a grass stain and a smudge of blue potion

“It’s been… interesting”

“I’ve been watching her most of the day-“

Theseus began, also wiping his mouth, and Tina remarked drily as she plucked Esther into her arms

“Is it you she learned the spewing trick off then?”

“Ha ha” He remarked sarcastically “No,I have however been telling her how simply hilarious her
mother is”

Tina simply shook her head, biting her lips in a smile as she spoke to the baby in barely above a
whisper

“Did you miss me?” Esther let out a a coo as she reached for her and Tina leaned over so her fist
graced her cheek “I missed you too…”

She felt Newts nose bump against her hair as he peered over her shoulder causing her to lean into
him slightly

“I certainly missed you” She felt him murmur into her hair and she chuckled

“Hmmm?”
“Yes,I-I feel the more time I spend with you the harder it is to spend time apart”

She opened her mouth to respond when suddenly Esther was plucked out of her arms by Thesues
who,at their matching insulted expressions, stated

“You can have your daughter back when you don’t look like you’re about to make her a little
brother or sister”

At the statement Newt whirled around and preparing for a trademark Scamander brother argument,
Tina rolled her eyes and settled in the armchair feeling rather smug when Esther cried out and
reached clumsily in her direction causing Theseus to deposit her on her lap. However Newt had
scarcely opened his mouth when there was a brisk knock on the door.

For a moment they all simply looked between one another.

“Who…”

Newt murmured yet Tina was already on her feet, gently handing a protesting Esther to him then
pulling out her wand.

“Newt stay back.”

She ordered, Theseus coming behind her as he whispered

“If this is an acolyte it will be the first recorded case of them having manners”

Tina shushed him, heart beating in her ears, as she slowly stepped towards the door. Newt hovering
near the dining table watching them fearfully as someone knocked sharply again.

Checking one last time that Theseus was poised she took a steadying breath and threw open the
door.

The bang of the door colliding with their battered coat stand seemed to make the two people who
had been looking out of the window at the end of their floor jump. At the sudden movement Tina
went to raise her wand higher when she noticed that the two people standing in her hallway were
an older couple,a man and a woman, and while Grindelwald had many older people in his ranks he
wasn’t overly proactive in sending them out in the field. Especially as they seemed a rather affluent
pair, the man wearing a quite garish purple waistcoat visible under his travelling coat with a pair of
wire glasses perched precariously on his nose and a quiet sense of power and the woman wore a
blue dress mostly obscured by a thick red cardigan and wavy reddish hair in a plait down her back.
Not the usual candidates for psychotic Grindelwald fanatics.

In response to the noise they turned to her and it was the man who stepped forward, giving her a
calculating glance.

“Is Newton Scamander in this residence?”

He asked in a crisp English accent, more upper class than Newt’s yet with the same rolling vowels,
and Tina went to stammer out a “Why?” when Theseus’ surprised visage appeared around the door.

“Mum,Dad?”

Oh dear

“Theseus!”

The woman called before her face settled into a similar expression Theseus wore when he had first
arrived in her office as the two barged straight past her into her living room. She blinked then
mumbled to herself “Okay then.” before following them in..

Theseus had remained near the door as the parents looked around the room, while Tina's brow
furrowed at the lack of Newt.

“I told him to go to your bedroom”

Theseus whispered and Tina nodded silently, watching wide eyed as Newts mother inspected the
cradle which currently had Teddy and Pickett hiding underneath it .

“How bad is this gonna be?”

“Rather.”

The English and their understatements…

The parents seemed to be expecting Newt to be hiding somewhere in the room, although where
Tina had no idea,so when they seemed certain he wasn’t The Woman cleared her throat daintily
then bellowed.

“NEWTON ARTEMIS FIDO SCAMANDER,GET IN HERE NOW!”

Tina blinked. The woman was five foot three at most and while motherly in shape certainly made a
noise disproportionate to her body. However it seemed to do the trick as a second later a frankly
terrified Newt appeared, Holding Esther close to his chest.

His eyes flickered to hers before focusing quite intently on the leg of their sofa.

“Hello Mum”

“Do not ‘Hello Mum’ me young man” Newts mother thundered “Look at me!” Tina felt a heart
twist as Newt forced his eyes onto the bobbles of his mothers cardigan. “What. Have. You .
Done?”

Logically Tina knew she shouldn’t get involved. She had wanted Newt's parents to like her, not that
she knew much about them, but seeing Newt's growing panic she inched over. Seeing his grip
tighten on Esthers back she acted potentially foolishly and as Newts father demanded

“Explain yourself Newton.”

She cut in front of them, easing Newts hands off of Esther and taking the baby into her arms.
“We’ve done nothing wrong” Tina stated simply to him, watching Newts eyes flicker up to her
“just explain to them Newt-“ He made a pained noise at the back of his throat “it’s okay, just
explain like you explained to Theseus”

She stepped away, Esther whimpering at all the shouting, and she cowered from the Elder
Scamander's glare while still remaining by Newt's side. Theseus however appeared to have had
enough and boldly stated

“Mum,Dad-“

“It’s alright Theseus”

Newt murmured and he raised his gaze to meet his mothers eyes,

“She’s not mine Mum”

A range of emotions flickered over the parents face before their eyes settled on her and the baby
who was burrowing her face into her neck

“So what is this then? Some sort of honourable act?”

“I found her, Esther, in London. She was hurt and abandoned and I couldn’t leave her”

“So why on Earth are you in New York?”

His father demanded, glasses sliding down his nose as he ran a hand through his dark hair,flecked
with grey.

“B-b-because-“

“Because of me.”

Tina finished and she met their shocked gazes face on

“Newt and I have been courting-“ she winced at the outdated term of phrase. It seemed so
impersonal,like a business transaction before marriage. It wasnt a term she’d ever use to explain
whatever her and Newt were doing and certainly nothing like- “I love him, very much and when he
told me about a baby I told him to come here so he could figure out what to do”

She felt as if she was about to throw up under their glare, or at the very least dry heave, but she still
kept her eyes on Mrs Scamander who appeared to be analysing her before turning to her younger
son, face almost startlingly different in its growing understanding as she asked.

“Is that true Newt”

“Yes.” He whispered “And I’ve decided what I’m going to do, I’m going to raise her as my
daughter,as a Scamander”

The room was flooded by uneasy silence as his parents looked between one another, having a silent
conversation. Esther however had seemingly had enough and began to cry. Sobbing loudly as her
fists grasped at Tinas blouse.

“It’s okay, shhh it’s alright”

She soothed as Newt came around to her side, rubbing Esther’s shuddering back

“I’m sorry little one, no more shouting-“ Then he jolted “I didn’t hurt you did I?” His hands
scrambled with Esther’s top then he sighed in relief at the absence of any marks apart from the
smudge of a birthmark on her right shoulder and the faint shadow of the original bruise. During
Newt's scrambling she’d quieted a little so Tina continued to sway her while bumping her nose
against his cheek,murmuring under her breath.

“Everyone’s okay Newt, you couldn’t hurt her if you tried”

He stopped then, hand freezing on Esther’s back, and he looked to her with a small smile tugging
at his lips as he stated matter of factly

“You just said you loved me”

She felt her cheeks heat up as she swallowed the lump in her throat, distracting herself by twirling
Esther’s lengthening curl.

“I-I did. And-“ She raised her eyes to his “And I meant it Newt”

His smile grew even wider and it turned into something almost mischievous causing any fear at her
sudden declaration melted away in an instant. He bobbed his head then ducked to her ear
whispering

“I love you too”

In a perfect world they would have been alone, perhaps on a beach at sunset or a rooftop bathed in
moonlight. She would be in a flowing dress,him in an immaculate outfit, and they would kiss to a
growing fanfare. A kiss that would be passionate and something to talk about for years.

And for one perfect second it was as their lips met in a soft and familiar greeting. Then just as
quickly it was gone as Tina felt something slide down her arm. She pulled away and seeing Newts
parents appearing to be enwrapped in a whispered argument she looked down to see Esther once
again with milk and spit sliding out of her mouth and across her arm, her decidedly not flowing
outfit receiving the harshest hit.

“Mercy Lewis!”

Tina exclaimed, trying to not get anymore baby fluids onto her work clothes as she manoeuvred
Esther to her other hip. Esther,thoroughly unfazed by the redecorating of her trousers, gave a giggle
and reached a similarly dirty fist to Newts surprised features.

“BABABABABABA”

“Merlin's beard this is a disaster.” She heard Theseus mutter as Newts parents seemed to finally
reach the end of their discussion and now she watched as Newts mother sent a frankly withering
glare at her husband, the room being submerged into silence.

“I’m um…gonna go clean us up…”

And with an apologetic glance at Newt she took Esther into the bathroom.

~*~

Newt wasn't the greatest at gauging tension in a room. He’d walked into a tent preparing for a
battle once and it was only after the fifth person who told him to stop ‘yammering on about
dragonite indigestion’ that he took the hint that something was going wrong. Yet he had the good
sense not to say a word as his parents got themselves embroiled in a glaring contest.

It was a rather common image of his childhood his father coming home late from the pub, singing
a song loud enough to unsettle the hippogriffs, or even more often it was about him but that
revelation did nothing to put him at ease as he curled into himself. He understood why Tina had
left,not just because Esther had once again spat up (he really needed to look into that),but it was
somewhat of a family issue and she didn’t have the ring to be having to deal with his family just
yet.

“You’re probably feeding her too much in one go,thats why its coming back up”

His mother suddenly spoke, causing himself to jump about a foot in the air and whip his head
around. To his surprise his mother didn’t look too angry at him, her eyes had a habit of flaring and
right now they seemed quite subdued. He was so surprised that all he managed was a stammered

“O-Oh?”

There was one last shared look between his parents then his mother put a placating hand on his
shoulder. Something else which wasn't a good sign.

“Newt darling-“ Nope, he was well and truly screwed. “We know you’re excited about all of this
but, you’re father and I have been thinking…”

”For ten minutes”

He muttered as he sat down heavily on the seat beside his brother, trying not to look like he was
contemplating running and hiding in the bathtub. He immediately regretted saying such a thing as
his mothers glare bore through him.

“We’ve been thinking that, this is all well and good for now. Babies merely require keeping alive
but eventually this child will need a mother”

“She’ll have a mother”

He replied bluntly and his father remarked

“That girl is no more a mother than i am, she’s an auror, A Female auror.”

More effective than an electric shock,Newt leapt to his feet and, for what was quite possibly the
first time ever, looked directly in his eyes at his full height.

“How dare you!” He thundered “How dare you assume anything about Tina when your entire
knowledge of her is a footnote in some tabloid!”
“She threatened us with her wand!”

His father replied

“She’s Chief Auror! We’re hunted by Grindelwald on a fairly regular basis and you burst into her
home to shout at me! At us!Of course she was inhospitable!” His mother raised her hand half
heartedly stating

“We’re merely-“

“Stop it! Tina may be stern on appearance but she is the kindest,most selfless- most loving person I
have ever met!”

“That is all well and good but a child needs a family!”

There was an uneasy silence causing Newt to step unsteadily forward

“A family is far more than words on a page and bloodlines,Mother”

Then with the satisfaction of a very hollow victory he yanked open the case and disappeared inside.
 Some to The Plow, Dilly Dilly
Chapter Summary

Some anger and some conversations

Chapter Notes

Newts mother is one of my favourite characters i write, even if she has changed a bit as
the years have gone (cannot believe i can now count my time writing in this fandom as
years plural.) I think she try’s to appease everyone by nature but I promise this isn’t
the last you’ll see of her.

See the end of the chapter for more notes

The dirtied straw soared neatly from his pitch fork to land on the growing pile of compost and
Newt took a moment of satisfaction from the sweat dripping down his nose and the dull ache in his
hands before returning to the Erumpents bed. Usually he’d do such a task at least partially via
magic but the anger still flickering through his body meant that the only thing stopping him from
storming back up to his parents was the promise of some more manual labour.

Perhaps not the most comfortable coping strategy, but it did the job.

He wasn't expecting his parents to immediately warm to the idea, history had taught him such,but
he was expecting them to see things more logically than what they were. He was closer to forty
than thirty,hardly the child his mother had him pinned as, and Tina was- Well simply brilliant in
his opinion. There were far younger and far less responsible parents with great packs of children.
What made him and Tina so different?

At the thought another stab of anger hit his gut and he shovelled the next heap of straw with an
extra heave. Only narrowingly avoiding his mother who he hadn't noticed creep up behind him.
Her scarf wrapped neatly around her shoulders and her freckles studding her ever so slightly sun
burned face. He always admired his mother. While pure blooded she was far from the upper class
world of being a Scamander. She had learned the airs and graces, become the perfect high class
Lady and held lavish balls and society meets yet still always found time for them to steal their way
into the Hippogriff stables for honey sandwiches among the great feathered beasts he’d learned to
walk amongst.

She’d fought to gain the respect of the people his father lived amongst. His father who wasn’t that
keen of the title himself had fought for that too, being the only surviving Scamander by pure
chance wasn’t exactly idolised by the pure bloods. Theseus had learnt how to act in the same
manner, mostly through being the honest,dashing war hero he was born to be. Then there was him:
a burning hatred for every society event,unable to shake hands successfully and rather unfazed by
laws when they obscured goodness and truth. The nicest members of his family called him a rogue,
the worst called him words he dared not think again.

So he could understand her concern but Newt wasn't particularly eager to have yet another
uncomfortable conversation. Therefore with a sigh he mumbled
“Mother.”
Then hefted another load of dirtied straw. He turned back once the load had safely landed and a
part of him hoped she would understand that he wasn’t particularly in the mood and leave him be.
Yet he heard her soft voice,full of amusement
“I remember when you couldn't lift the latch on the Hippogriff paddock” He paused but didn’t
respond causing her to shake her head and laugh to herself “In fairness I can remember when you
couldn't reach it”
“Hmmmm, times change I suppose…”
He ran a hand through his gingery hair and his mother sighed
“Newton darling, can we sit?”

Half of him wanted to continue to be standoffish. Maybe pick up a bucket and go to the occamies
but seeing his mothers tired expression he took a seat on the edge of the habitat and gestured
wordlessly to his side. His mother then picked her way across and sat silently beside him. Well
silently for a second then she gently rested a hand on his knee and squeezed it gently causing Newt
to smile, a gesture he remembered well.
“Do you remember when you were little,and you’d be upset that the village children wouldn’t talk
to you?”
A little surprised at the direction his mother was taking he shuffled uncomfortably then muttered
“A bit of an understatement”
They wouldn’t just not talk to him, he was frequently on the receiving end of mud balls and
anything else they could hurl at him.
“And I used to say that you would one day find people who understand,who love you in whatever
form. And I’m so glad you found them here but I’m worried”
“Mum-“
“It isn’t easy raising a family Newt.” She searched his eyes and he flickered his gaze. “Especially
in times like these. There’s hard times, times you’ll want to give up but you can't because there’s a
lot more than just you. It’s even harder sometimes in ways you don’t expect…”
He shuffled again, this time desperately avoiding her gaze as he focused on a dung beetle who had
just gone scuttling past.
“With Children like me you mean”
She grasped his knee tighter
“I have never regretted a single moment, Newt, no matter how hard,neither of us have. I love you
and I just want you to be happy,I don’t want you to regret this.”
Finally he met her eyes
“Mum… These past few days have not been-easy. I’ve had very little sleep,been covered in about
every fluid imaginable and had to spend a large portion of my Gringotts vault on cradles and toys
and bottles…” It had been difficult. Almost impossible. But his mind's eye flickered to the night
before, watching the milk drunk Esther fall asleep in Tinas arms,her thickening fist curled against
her breast. Never in his life had he felt more like he belonged,not in the wilds of the rainforests or
the plains of Africa. Somehow he felt that right there in New York, with a temperamental baby and
an even more temperamental Chief Auror, was where he was meant to be. “But Mum, it feels for
once that I’m doing something right.”

His mother didn’t respond for a moment, her eyes seemingly scanning him for any trace of a lie,as
they sat there on the edge of the habitat. And he suspected she was about to start another round of
probing questions when a soft coo broke the lazy chittering. He looked up to see Tina picking her
way across the dirt as quietly as she could, Esther in her arms and propped up against her shoulder.
When she realised he had saw her, she froze, her eyes wandering over his face as she grimaced,
waving her free hand in a feeble wave.
He equally raised his hand in awkward reciprocation and she walked toward them,scanning them
like a lioness protecting her cub, until she came to a stop in front of them. She gave his mother an
awkward grimace and he flicked his gaze to his mothers responding warm smile.
“Tina isn’t it?”
He practically heard the harshness of Tina's swallow as she replied
‘Yes ma’am”
“Oh darling, no need for that. You can call me Helena”
“Oh”
Tina murmured and he watched his mother stand so her and Tina were eye to eye- well given six
inches or so.
“And this is…”
“Oh, um Esther Leta Scamander”
Rather aptly Esther appeared to screw her face up at her full title and both Tina and his mother
chuckled slightly.
“She clearly already has quite the attitude”
“Yeah…”
“Between the two of you, you might actually keep her father in line”
He jolted. She’d just referred to him as a father. That could only mean-
“We’ll certainly try, won’t we Es?”
The tremble in Tina’s tone gave her away as having the same rush of hope he did and she met his
gaze with barely restrained joy. Esther however seemed quite bored by the momentous shift in his
mothers opinion and let out a whine at the absence of Tina's rocking causing all eyes to settle on
her.

There was a moment of silence then his mother murmured

“Do you mind if I…” Holding out her arms. This time, Tina didn’t check his way and instead
gently deposited Esther in her arms.
“My first Grandchild” She whispered with reverence,shuffling one of her supporting arms to grasp
Esther's tiny hand “And how simply beautiful you are, hmm?”
He stood and moved to Tinas side, the crash of emotions breaking against an imaginary shoreline
as her hand slipped in his. Esther let out a whimper that was quickly soothed by his mothers thumb
and a gentle hum, a tune he faintly remembered from being sat at his mothers skirt scribbling on
parchment as she knitted socks to send off to Theseus at Hogwarts. A little different to the one
she’d hum when cooking among the house elves,Binky and Lonk, but an echo of the past and
one,for once, he was happy to hear.
“I’m proud of you”
It took him a moment to realise she wasn't talking to the baby in her arms and he ducked his head in
acknowledgement. “No Newton… I truly am”

The things he thought were history just kept coming back.

“Um” He began eloquently “Thank you mother”

“And I apologise about your father’s comments- He,he worries even more than I”
He tried to not to make his lack of belief too evident on his features but seeing his mother’s and
Tina’s eyebrow raise he sensed he hadnt done a very good job “He does Newt he just isn’t very
good at- expressing it”
“He gave up on me when I failed at acting normal”
“That isn’t true, son”
This time he truly jumped,whipping around to see his father looking around in barely restrained
awe at the features of his case before focusing on him.
If anything Newt wanted to leave. He had avoided having a meaningful conversation for his father
for nearly forty years, he wasn't about to start now. His father seemed to sense this and sighed
“I’m not disappointed Newton this is just- a surprise. I just need some time to-to calm the relatives”
“Ah.” He mumbled,that was most likely the best he was ever going to get from his father in terms
of an explanation so Newt tossed him one last look. “I suppose you best not miss the last Portkey”

Before striding off in the distance of the Occamies, intended bucket in hand.

~*~

“You know, you’re getting real good at the dramatic walk offs”
He heard faintly over his shoulder and he turned to see Tina standing there once again,Esther back
in her arms and falling asleep against her chest somehow despite the talking and continuous noise.
Unable to make more than a weak grimace he looked at her searchingly. “You’re parents have
gone, you’re Mom says shes really sorry”
“She always is,never seems to change much”
Tina sighed gently as she placed Esther down in a hay manger full of blankets that he had been
using when he needed to put her down momentarily in the case. Once she appeared satisfied that
their daughter was comfortable she moved so she was standing in front of him.
“Theseus is escorting them to the port key office, says he’s gonna try and talk it through with
them.”
Unsure how else he could respond and exhausted by his own anger he stood their limply until Tina
pulled him into a tentative hug. It took him a moment to respond,spontaneous hugs still not
something he was used to, before he wrapped his arms tight across Tina's back and rested his head
against her neck.

They stood there swaying slightly, the chorus of the case starting to dwindle with the late hour, and
Newt startled at the sudden lump in his throat. He wasn’t ashamed of crying,his family for all their
faults rarely discouraged his tears (His father occasionally threatening to ‘give him something to
cry about’ but usually silenced by his mother), but he wasn’t expecting to feel so dejected so many
years after his teenage years.
“Newt…” He felt her murmur against his neck and he hummed as she leaned back so he could see
her gaze. Her face was gentle,eyes wide as she traced his jaw with the tip of her finger “It’s okay to
be upset.”
“Tina, I’ve been on the receiving end of my fathers disapproval ever since I can remember” He
then let out a dry chuckle,knitting his hands together behind Tina's back “Probably before then”

He watched Tina's expression shift to one he was far more familiar with, her eyes a light with a
barely hidden anger.
“I know I don't really know him-“
“Tina you’re allowed to find my family difficult, Merlin I find them difficult”
She bit her lip in that endearing way of hers as she looked up through the remnants of her fringe
before murmuring.
“I just hate that people don't see what I see”
Moving his hand to brush away the errant strands he smiled slightly at her
“You see it Tina, that’s all I care”
She returned his smile with a gentle sigh
“You’re a good man Newt”
Not knowing quite how to respond,he brought her in for a gentle kiss which Tina deepened by
pulling his head down with such force they almost went falling to the floor.

He managed to steady them both then Tina whispered in his ear

“I think Theseus was taking your parents to eat before the next portkey”
“Oh?”
 “It’s not until ten…”
He lowered her a little more and her face was alight with her idea. It was an expression he had first
seen on his first trip to New York when she remembered Gnarlack and he had to confess he had
never imagined there would ever be such heat to accompany that look,especially directed at him.
“So that would give us-“
“Almost an hour. And Esther is…” She leaned back to his ear and whispered “Fast asleep”
Unable to hold back his chuckle, he kissed her jaw before pulling away to wave his wand so that
Esther's temporary cot floated up and into the shed without waking her then he let Tina pull him
into his now scarcely used bedroom.

Theseus having the good sense not to check inside the case once he returned home to an empty
flat.

Chapter End Notes

I think I am going to do a little bit of a time jump in the next chapter so we have some
more baby milestones.
 Some to the Cart
Chapter Summary

Newt and Tina come up with an idea and Queenie and Tina have a talk

Chapter Notes

Now this is a monster of a chapter for a lot of reasons. There is mention of miscarriage
in this and I haven’t put it in the tabs because it was not the direction I was expecting.
It’s only mentioned in one bit and I’ll mark it but if that’s a trigger don’t read it.

This chapter also features what I hope are accurate Italian terms of endearment and a
rather traditional English response.

See the end of the chapter for more notes

The room was alight with the morning sun as Newt leapt out of his case on the first truly warm day
of the year. In the two months since they had acquired their daughter many things had changed, but
none as much as Newt had himself.

He had always been an adventurer, roaming the planes and the Tundras and he had never truly been
content with domestic life. Certainly not domestic life around other people. Yet as he and Tina had
grown used to being parents, and the press had stopped tracking their every move, he had found
that there was an enjoyment to sitting in front of an open window letting in a summer breeze as he
and Tina read together while Esther played on her blanket. In the past few weeks, she had even
begun to grab and throw things, especially things that jingled, and delighting in the noise they
made as they inevitably bounced under the sofa, a bucket or an erumpent.

Newt would be irritated by this, just as he would be irritated by the 2 a.m. screaming, but every
time he felt his temper flare she would snuggle into his neck or smile up at him with her little
stretch and he would melt. Tina often joked that the moment she could ask for things he would be
utterly hopeless to say no to her and Newt simply remarked that he couldn’t say no to her now, let
alone in two years time when she’ll be able to look at him with wide dark eyes and a pout that he
had no doubt she would learn off of Tina.

With that image in mind, he turned to the living area where Tina was kneeling on the floor in front
of a freshly changed Esther where she was playing with her kicking legs. It seemed so long ago
when Tina had been unsure how to even hold her, now she spent every possible moment caring for
her and at that moment it involved her tugging on Esther's chunky legs, and occasionally tickling
her toes, as she laughed loudly in delight. He stood unmoving for a moment, not sure if she had
spotted him when he heard Tina chuckle in response to Esther's failed attempt to sit up

“Your Daddy’s just coming”

Still rather unused to the term (he had been mummy before of course but never daddy) he offered a
small smile as she turned to him and then sat beside her on their threadbare rug.

“Good morning Esther” He chirped and Esther let out a squeal as she reached for him. Unable to
do anything else he scooped her up off of the floor and settled her on his lap so that her head was
cushioned by his thigh “Did you sleep well?”

Esther let out another giggle as she grabbed her socked foot and began gumming it fervently

“Well that was a wasted ten minutes tryna get that on”

Tina remarked drily as she pushed her hair out of her face, her eyes still blurry with sleep and Newt
leaned over to squeeze her knee.

“How long have you been awake?”

“I woke up when you went down to the case and she started crying about five minutes after”

He mouthed sorry but she waved him off with a gentle smile

“It’s alright, we had fun listening to the radio didn't we Es while we had our drinks?”

As usual, Esther had no idea what was going on yet both of their gazes were on her meaning she
was filled with delight.

They remained sat there watching Esther ruin more and more of her sock until he felt Tina lie her
head heavily on his shoulder.

“Are you alright?”

He murmured and she sighed before mumbling into his neck

“Tired. Feel like I’ve done nothing but work and sleep for- Well forever” he leaned into her “She’s
cute and I love her but- damn.”

“Quite…”

He chuckled as Esther stretched in his lap, looping his finger around her curl when an idea struck
him.

“Have we ever been on a typical um…” His voice dwindled as he searched for the word causing
Tina to echo

“Typical?”

“Well I believe the young are calling them dates”

He felt her head rise off his shoulder so he turned to see her with a pleasantly surprised expression
across her features.
“No… I guess we haven’t… Gone on a uh ‘date’”

Sending her a small smile he shifted his attention to the baby

“Would you like to be spoiled by your Auntie Queenie and Uncle Jacob for the evening?”

Esther let out a joyful babble and Tina leaned over to straighten her tiny buttons

“She’ll be okay for the evening…”

“Of course she will-“ He took her hand and squeezed it gently “Her Aunt and Uncle will dote on
her- They always do…”

“I know but Queenie’s been so sad lately”

It was true, recently Queenie had seemed down in comparison to her usual bubbly self and it had
concerned Tina greatly which probably wasn’t helping her exhaustion.

“She seems to cheer up though when Esther’s there”

“I guess…” Tina sighed, resting her free hand on Esther's belly and stroking her chin with one
finger “What were you thinking of doing”

“Dinner? Maybe a mildly less criminal-orientated speakeasy afterwards”

“You hate those places?” She chuckled, confusion lacing her tone

“Yes, but I did say I would take you dancing before the next wedding we were landed in if you
remember?”

She gave another quiet laugh, looking up at him

“I guess you did…” then she made a happy noise “There’s this Italian place, run by a magic couple
that everyone at work goes on about-“ She cut herself off “It’s kinda pricey though”

“That’s not a problem Tina, I believe for our first date we can spring to a smidge of luxury”

“Our first date” She giggled and Newt joined her “Mercy I feel like such a teenager”

He couldn’t help but grin now, he’d never been on a date before and to have one with Tina made
him feel as if his stomach was filled with Billywigs.

“Yeah, a date.”

~*~

They remained seated on the floor for another while, smiling coyly at each other as they tried to
encourage Esther to roll over for her rattle, as she had begun to do. Then they had pulled on their
boots, forgoing coats for the first time and with Esther under a much thinner blanket than usual,
they tucked her into her pram and pushed her into the sunlit street.
“Gah!” Esther exclaimed as they began to walk and Newt replied, as he had become accustomed to,
with utmost sincerity

“Quite right Esther, it is a beautiful day”

“You got all that from ‘Gah”?” Tina asked as she shuffled her hands on the pram handle and Newt
huffed a laugh

“Well, what else would she be talking about?”

“She did throw up on the stock market section of The Ghost this morning so definitely not that.”

“Maybe she isn’t one for politics”

He remarked and Tina rolled her eyes

“Is anyone, anymore?”

Sensing she wasn’t expecting a response he merely hummed and they walked along the morning
streets in comfortable silence which was only breached when they entered the yet-to-be-inundated
bakery.

“Heya Teen, Newt got paczkis fresh from the oven” Jacob called as he emptied a fresh tray,
seemingly unfazed by their intensely early appearance.

“That sounds great” Tina replied absently, peering round for her sister it appeared and Newt took
up position admiring the various fresh breads and pastries ready to be snatched up in the morning
rush.

“So what brings you guys here beating the rats?”

“And Queenie it seems,” Newt murmured

“Yeah, she ain’t feeling too hot again so I’m on my lonesome”

“Is she alright?” Tina probed and Jacob gestured up the stairs

“I’m pretty sure she’s awake if you wanna say hi”

Tina shuffled with the pram handle for a moment before rushing off up the stairs with a mumbled
“Back in a second”

“She’s worryin’ too huh?”

Jacob asked as he joined him in watching her retreating back

“It’s Queenie, she's worried about her since we met”

“Ain’t that the truth”

Jacob chuckled as he came around the counter, handing him the doughnut esc treat before leaning
over the pram to play with Esther's hands. Newt gratefully tore into the breakfast while watching
when Jacob suddenly spoke up

“I wish I knew what was wrong with her”

More than slightly zoned out Newt shook his head

“Sorry?”

“Queen. We’ve started trying for a baby y’know?”

“Oh,” Newt stated, nodding sympathetically and Jacob who thankfully was used to his lack of
reply hummed

“Yeah, but it’s only been like two months and I know I don't know the details of that potion she
takes, us No majs ain't got nothing like that. My Aunts got eight kids for a reason” Newt couldn’t
help the dry laugh that escaped as he nodded sympathetically “but I guessed it was gonna take
time, she just seems so-“

“Lost?”

He nodded sadly, letting go of Esther’s hands to instead lean against the counter facing him

“It’s like she still don't quite know what to do and I don't know nothing that can help”

Finishing his paczki he gestured up the stairs to the Kowalski apartment

“I’m sure Tina can at least start to get to the bottom of it, She may not be a legilimens but she
certainly has a knack for interrogation”

Finally, Jacob gave him a short chuckle as he scratched the back of his neck

“One day I gotta watch her do an interrogation on some schmuck”

He echoed Jacob's amusement as he replied lightly

“It’s rather something to watch, although when it’s directed at me…”

He trailed off and Jacob truly laughed this time

“That’s also good to watch”

As Jacob's laughter died down they settled into silence again and as Newt's eyes wandered around
the windows his thoughts fell back to his and Tina’s dinner plans. A date, something Newt hadn’t
been on a single one of. He knew the general idea, his mother was dead set on him and his brother
not making fools of themselves but Newt knew that not only were things different in America he
also knew that if he did half of the things classed as ‘gentlemanly’ he’d end up with a very angry
Tina asking him why all of a sudden she can’t open her own doors. The only real dating ‘advice’ he
had received since then had been very much unsolicited advice from his brother. Some of which
had come in useful in his and Tina’s private moments most haunted his nightmares. Which left one
man as his saviour.

“Jacob?” The man seemed to snap back into reality as he looked expectantly at him “You’ve been
on dates, I assume?”
The man shrugged

“As much as anyone I guess, why?”

Suddenly Newt felt his cheeks heat slightly

“Tina and I are planning on going on our first date tonight and I’m not entirely sure how to do it
properly”

To his horror, Jacob's expression had changed from intrigue to shock and perhaps- Amusement?

“Wait, you guys have been together for what, like four years? You have a kid and you ain’t ever
been on a date?”

His voice had become incredulous so Newt stammered to defend himself

“Technically that’s factually incorrect because Tina and I were not in an official relationship until
April”

“You loved each other before you left New York the first time Pal, Technicalities don’t mean
squat” He must have seen Newt's face shift as he held up his hands in defence “I’m not saying
there’s anything wrong with it, I'm just surprised is all”

“Yes well, I want to make up for it now”

Jacob nodded thoughtfully

“You see, my usual advice don't seem to cut it with Teen so… All I'll say pal is that you know her
best. Just go someplace nice, eat some nice food, take her dancing or somethin’ and give her one of
your special compliments she likes. Usually, first dates are like- talkin’ to ‘em tryna find out if they
like music or art or something. You’re kinda past that with Tina”

Newt nodded seriously

“So- be myself?”

“There ain’t no one else you can be”

He heaved a deep breath and then looked towards the stairs again. Oddly Tina had not emerged yet
so Newt turned to Jacob.

“I’m going to make some arrangements for this evening, would you tell Tina that I’ll be back in an
hour or so?”

“Sure” He smiled at Jacob in silent thanks then tucked his case under Esther’s pram and began to
wheel her out of the bakery as Jacob called “Get her some flowers too!”

***********Trigger Warning**********

Tina wasn't used to seeing her sister so quiet as she stirred sugar into her tea at the opposite side of
the table. She felt a little guilty about ditching Newt when they had been planning to spend as
much of the weekend together as possible but Queenie was a special circumstance and Newt wasn't
one for holding a grudge.

“Honestly, I’m fine Teen”

“Yeah, ‘cause you look it”

It was true her skin was pale and her entire face seemed mysteriously pulled down.

“You ain’t looking the bee's knees either”

She heard her mumble and Tina rolled her eyes

“I've got a five-month-old baby.”

The memory of that morning came to the front of her mind. Waking up to seeing Newt's retreating
figure as he went to the case, Esther's cries soon following. Stumbling into her newly reinstated
room and plucking her out of the cot causing Esther to quieten slightly as Tina had held her yet it
had taken her slowly rocking them around the kitchen table while her coffee brewed and the milk
warmed before she had fully settled in her arms, watching her through big dark eyes.

She snapped out of her thinking at the distressed sniff across the table to see tears falling down her
sister's cheeks.

“Queenie?” She simply shook her head and Tina reached across to grasp her hand “Queens?
What’s wrong, Y-you’re scaring me…”

Her stomach felt as if it had fallen to her feet as Queenie took a shuddering breath then whispered

“I lost a baby…” before dissolving into sobs.

Instantly Tina was on her feet as she moved around the table and took her baby sister in her arms.
Queenie’s crying grew even louder before she buried her face into Tina’s belly and all Tina could
do was rock her gently while humming along to a song she liked to think she knew from her mother
but time had made her unsure. They continued in that way, clinging to each other until finally,
Queenie had calmed enough for her breaths to only be interrupted by the occasional hiccup.
Choosing not to speak aloud she instead thought toward her sister ‘You ready to talk now?’. There
was a brief moment of silence then Queenie shuffled so that while her head was still resting against
Tina’s middle her tear-stained and makeup-streaked face was exposed.

“I’d only just started to guess I was pregnant… I wasn’t sick but I weren’t feeling too great. We’d
only just started tryin’ anyway” She swallowed harshly and Tina pushed Queenie's hair out of her
face in a silent prompt to continue “I was waitin’ until I’d figured it all out before tellin’ Jakie
then-“ She choked on a sob again and Tina squeezed her tighter “-and then they- they were gone!’

“Oh Queenie” Tina whispered into the crown of her head as Queenie broke down again, crumbling
under the weight of her tears.

“I didn't even really know them and they were gone! And Jacob doesn’t know anything ‘bout it and
I just got thinking that maybe I’m like Aunt Ede and-“

She said something else but it came out as a string of inaudible gasps
“Queenie we don’t know if Aunt Ede had anything to do with anything-“

“Mama lost babies too, remember!”

That had been a rather awful night, their Aunt angry and spilling every dirty secret she could think
of in order to ruin the memory of their mother.

“Queenie-“

“What if I’m broken?” Queenie just kept sobbing “I just wanna baby!”

Deciding enough was enough she took half a step away and crouched down to her sister's eyeline.

“You listen to me Queenie Goldstein-“ seeing Queenie's bloodshot eyes shift up to meet hers “You
are not broken. Sometimes- sometimes stuff happens but it ain’t and will never be your fault!” Tina
was startled to find her cheeks growing damp as she gripped her sister's shoulders “You’ll be a
Mama, I know you will”

At that moment she put up her occlumency shields to give her some respite from the sudden
peculiar feeling spreading through her. She had forgotten about the apparent family problems and
now Tina felt a strange stab of anxiety.

“I still wanna babysit tonight though”

She heard her sister sniff and she came back to herself to cock her head and murmur

“How do you…”

“I could hear it in both your heads when you came into the bakery”

She sighed

“You don’t have to Queenie”

“No- I love Esther, she’s beautiful” Queenie insisted, drying her eyes with a swipe of a palm “It’s
‘cause of her I know what I want and you guys deserve a night out- You better wear that dress you
were savin’”

“How do you know-“ On the back of her quirked eyebrow she shook her head “Never mind. Thank
you”

Queenie took a long sip of tea before smiling weakly

“You’re welcome”

*******End*******

It was only as Newt was halfway to the Italian restaurant (he had also heard some of the Aurors
bragging about their high society dates on occasion) that he realised that it was still rather early, the
morning rush barely beginning. Now Newt would be the first to confess that his years travelling
the world and his refusal to mesh with most of his colleagues meant that he had a bit of an altered
view on the general routine but even he knew that often restaurants weren’t exactly accepting
visitors at such an hour. Yet a quick glance down at Esther, who appeared to be frowning slightly
in the sunshine, made him continue on. He sincerely doubted he would have coped without Tina,
which made his indefinite staying time uneasy at best, and he felt that they had more than earned a
night to just be a young couple.

“Isn’t that right Esther?” He spoke aloud in reference to his thoughts and she gave him a gummy
smile as she waved her rattle he’d passed her. “Yes, and you get an evening with Auntie Queenie
and Uncle Jacob”

“Ba”

“Quite right”

He chuckled to himself as he rounded the corner to come into sight of a quaint Italian restaurant
decorated with green wooden signs.

He’d eaten lots of food on his travels and he did quite like Italian food. The number of people
emigrating had increased in recent years and with it had come an explosion of different cultures,
another reason he believed he felt rather more at ease in New York than expected. So with an
awkward smile to two elderly Italian women who cooed over Esther momentarily, he walked over
to the restaurant doors.

Peering through the glass he squinted when he noticed lights on in the rear of the building. Trying
to decide what he should do next he jumped at the sound of an accented voice over his shoulder

“Signore, I’m afraid we do not open for quite some time”

Leaping around he saw a man rather reminiscent of Jacob in size and stature but a much more
elaborate moustache carrying a crate ladened with Tomatoes off a horse and cart piloted by a
teenage boy.

“Yes, um hello, I’m sorry” Clearing his throat he offered another grimace he hoped passed as a
smile “I was just wondering- would it be possible to- if it wouldn’t be too much of a bother-“

“Ah, the English” the man chuckled good-naturedly “you apologise for everything and nothing at
the same time!Come in signore, bring the angioletto as well”

He opened the door as Newt went to heave the heavy metal pram before it lifted seamlessly off the
ground and into the restaurant. Looking around he caught eyes with the Owner's grin.

“What MACUSA doesn’t know, does not hurt, ay?”

Newt let out a dry chuckle at what Tina would think of that as he followed the man and his
tomatoes towards the back of the restaurant where a similarly small woman with tanned skin
greeted him with a toothy grin before chopping tomatoes at an almost alarming pace.

“My- um partner wouldn’t agree but she works there”

“Ah we get many Aurors in here- but one taste of mio cucciola’s sugo-“ he clicked his fingers then
and Newt nodded, smiling slightly at the word

“Cub?”

“Ah!” He exclaimed, turning to grin in a way very reminiscent of Jacob at the woman still
furiously chopping tomatoes “She acts a lioness but I know”

He leaned in close as if telling a conspiratorial secret “She’s a cute scricciolo”

“Lorenzo?”

A call came from the back

“Yes, Mi Amore?”

“Stop it before I add you to my sugo!”

The man nudged him with a laugh, stating admirably

“My lioness”

Before pulling out a large stack of parchment with names written in a long list.

“Now Signore, a table for two- A lover's dinner perhaps?” He raised an eyebrow and Newt
stammered

“Um yes, just the two of us, Esther is staying with her Aunt and Uncle”

“Sì, romance?”

“Uh, preferably?”

Whether it was his hesitance or his choice of words that made the man laugh he wasn’t sure, but
after a moment of guffaws he scribbled something on the page.

“I’ve got a table in that window-“ he gestured to a singular table overlooking the street “Very
romantic and you strike me as a man of privacy”

“Um yes, that would be nice-“Then a thought struck him “How did you know I was a wizard and
not an auror?”

The man chuckled at his own private joke

“You are Signore Scamander are you not? You are well known even in these parts”

“Well- yes”

“See, I know many things. And you never seem to seek the public”

“No, It usually finds me”

He mumbled to himself and the man slapped him on the back so hard he almost fell over.

“So, a table tonight?”

“Um yes?”

He scribbled on a ticket and handed it to him, the parchment feeling oddly warm until he looked
down to see that the ticket had a magical golden Wolf running up and down it before it howled at
an engraved moon.
“So we know when Wizards are present”

Newt nodded in understanding before murmuring

“Thank you, we’ll return tonight”

“Yes-“

“Lorenzo!”

A bellow called and the man tapped his shoulder again as he sighed lovingly

“My lioness beckons”

Before walking back towards the kitchen area.

Taking that as a signal to let himself out he pushed Esther out the door and then carried her and the
pram back into the busy street before pushing her towards the bakery.

He hadn’t noticed but in the rush of people he had ended up on the same jewellery-laden street that
he and Jacob had confronted a lion on and on instinct checked his case for any of Teddy’s pilfering
paws. He still wasn’t a fan of Esther who managed to take up both his and Tina’s attention without
trying and Newt was waiting for the day the little Niffler decided to go on a revenge tour of 47th
Street. However despite the fact he was now in need of something to drink and Esther would soon
need a change he found himself slowing down in front of a glass case of rings spanning almost the
entire window.

A lot of them had rather ostentatiously large diamonds in them, designed for upper women forced
to be decorations and housewives, with gold and silver bands which pushed the price up into the
thousands. Yet there were a few of a more simple make, elegant but not obtuse like the rest and
Newt found himself inexplicably drawn to one on the far side. On all sides it was surrounded by
beautiful stones yet, for some reason, Newt barely registered them. It was a single diamond, a
silver band which appeared to wrap around the stone meaning it lay flatter than most of the other
rings.

“She could still wear her gloves…”

He murmured to himself, watching the light refract through the stone before shaking his head.

They were getting there but they had only been together for two months

‘Four years actually’

His brain rather unhelpfully added and Newt huffed as he dragged his eyes away and continued
down the street towards the bakery.
 The image of the ring adorning Tina’s finger firmly rooting itself in his mind.

Chapter End Notes

Some of the Italian:

Angioletto- Little Angel
Mio cucciolas- My cub
Sugo- The base tomato sauce
Scricciolo- Little shrimp

Lorenzo is slightly based on Gomez Addams because I’ve binged the Wednesday
series this week and I am not ashamed
 Some to make Hay, Dilly Dilly
Chapter Summary

Newt and Tina have a night out, And Newt eases some of Tinas doubts.

Chapter Notes

This is a beast of a chapter, I mean essentially an endurance run. I’ve had Covid so I
just kept writing. I also have no idea what I’m going to name chapters after I run out of
lavenders blue lyrics. Enjoy!

See the end of the chapter for more notes

Tina examined her reflection with a scrutiny she usually left for crime scenes as she kept removing
and pulling back on her headband causing her to have to keep repositioning her curls once again
with a frustrated huff.

She was well aware she was being ridiculous. Newt had seen her in everything from filmy
undergarments she pretended she didn’t own to her work clothes to her four-day-old pyjamas when
she caught the flu and spent almost the entirety of one of his visits with her head down the toilet.
Yet she wanted it to be perfect, for once for them to have a normal, fun, evening. She wouldn’t
change her life for the world but she had to confess, she was looking forward to a bowl of pasta in a
restaurant where Newt could talk about his creatures and they could share a bottle of wine.

Yet her damn headband was standing in the way. She was about to throw the thing at the wall
when a distracted voice came into the room.

“Tina, have you seen Esther’s Hippogriff? I have a feeling she’s lobbed it somewhere…”

He trailed off at the end of his statement causing her to turn around.

He was wearing a suit, well as close to a suit Newt ever got on a day to day, with his usual
brownish trousers and a blue suit jacket similar in colour to his old coat. His waistcoat was a sleek
dark green silk but currently, his top buttons were undone and his bowtie hung loosely around his
shoulders. On his hip sat Esther who was looking rather unbothered at not having her Hippogriff or
at her appearance apart from a happy bounce, rather the opposite of her father.

His mouth was open slightly, his jaw loose, and his eyes were wide as he watched her awkwardly
move her hair behind her ears. Under his gaze, she couldn’t help the heat that rose on her cheeks
and she smiled shyly.

“Tina you look- you look-“ he coughed “You look so beautiful”

She smiled her thanks

“You look handsome”

He flustered at that, bobbing his head as he scanned their floor, although out of embarrassment or
for the missing toy she wasn’t sure.

“Thank you.”

At Newt's reaction, she dropped the headband onto the dresser and smoothed down the dress

“I uh-“ She heard Newt speak up, the hand not holding Esther up gently skimming over her cap
sleeve to touch the soft fabric “I haven’t seen this one before”

“I was saving it, it was the last one Queenie made me before…” her voice trailed off at the
memory before she cleared her throat “It was meant to be a- Not a forget about you dress but-“

“A, um, getting back out there dress?”

She blushed again

“Yeah…” she turned around and rested her hands on his chest “But I always kinda hoped it would
be for you”

He ducked his head with pinkened cheeks as he let out a shy mumble

“Well I feel quite honoured”

Then his hand left her shoulder to instead unwrap her hair from Esther's chunky fist and tuck it
gently behind her ear. Turning her attention to her daughter she smiled and similarly moved her
hair out of her eyes.

“Having fun Es?”

Esther grinned at her around her new ‘baby soother’ Peterson had told her about after he had his
sister and nephews stay with him for a week. It had taken some hunting but eventually, they had
found the simple white rubber dummy and Esther had taken to it quite happily to the point that
now if she started to get unsettled it tended to calm her enough to sleep. Something Tina often
struggled to do on her own.

She hadn't told Newt but she did feel somewhat guilty that she wasn't able to be a normal mother.
Tina worked and the only way she fed her was through a bottle. There had been one instant when
Esther had decided that sleeping was beneath her and the only thing that had soothed her was
resting on Tina's bare skin as she rubbed her back, but other than that Tina was much more of a
father than a mother in reality. It was Newt who stayed home all day with her, she might have been
the one to put her to sleep and got her up in the morning but it was Newt who got up in the night to
settle her back down, Newt who could change her diaper in a minute flat and Newt who went
wandering through the Market on a Tuesday morning pushing her along as he bought vegetables
and cheese.
Tina wasn’t sure if there was a title for what she was, but she didn’t particularly mind.

“Have you seen her Hippogriff?”

She heard him ask and she snapped out of her bubble to look him in the eye.

“Uh, no I don’t think so- I don’t think she’s too strung up about it though”

Esther answered her statement with a happy gasp as she kicked her legs wanting to get into her
arms causing Newt to pass her over.

“I just want her to have it when she goes to Queenie and Jacobs-“ Half the statement, however, was
muffled by him sticking his wand into his mouth as he crouched under the bed. He then promptly
half disappeared under it and Tina chuckled to herself, resting her cheek on Esther's tufts. She may
not feel quite like a mother, but she sure did love the baby in her arms.

“Your Papa’s silly isn't he?”

She murmured into her hair and Esther babbled something as she pulled on her sleeve just as Newt
reappeared with his hair somehow an artful disarray clutching Esther's toy Hippogriff, a gift from
Newt's mother had sent a week after their rather eventful departure.

“Here we are” He murmured as he stumbled to his feet, passing Esther the toy Hippogriff for her to
throw it on the floor with a delighted exclamation, it bouncing to a stop by Newt's feet. In
response, Newt crouched slightly and shot her a look Tina usually only saw him use with Teddy
when he managed to break his way into their silverware. “Really?”

“Maybe she’s gonna be a- What are the guys who throw the quaffles in Quidditch?”

“A Chaser?”

“Yeah… Or a Spotter in Quadpot”

He picked up the Hippogriff but this time tucked it under his arm and Tina went to go to the door
when he froze in the middle of the room.

“Newt?”

He swallowed harshly as he stepped forward to hold Esther’s flailing hand

“She’ll be okay, won’t she?”

Suddenly his concern over the Hippogriff made much more sense as she used her free hand to
squeeze his wrist.

“She’ll be fine, she’s having a sleepover with her Aunt and Uncle. Probably the first of three
billion” He let out a noise of amusement at that before going back to worrying his trouser pocket
“Newt- Newt?” He looked up at her and she offered a gentle smile “We don't have to leave her
overnight if you don't want to?”

His response was instantaneous as he shook his head

“No- It will be good for all of us I think to have a night away I’m just…” She tilted her head
imploringly as she shuffled closer so that Esther fit neatly between them “I don't want her to think
she’s been abandoned again”

“She won’t.” Tina said with a sense of finality yet seeing Newt's unchanging expression “She
won’t Newt. She’ll fall asleep with her Aunt and Uncle fussing over her then after a couple of
wake-ups where she doesn't know what’s what then we’ll be there” Watching him nod silently an
idea sprung into her head that instantly made her cheeks colour yet desperate to see the uneasy
features on his face ease she leaned in with a conspiratorial smile and whispered “And I’m sure I
can come up with ways to distract you”

Finally, Newt's face broke into a shy but genuine smile as his blush became apparent on his
cheekbones.

“I’m sure you can…”

They then giggled like teenagers greatly upsetting their daughter who narrowed her eyes rather
oddly reminiscent of Theseus.

“I’m sorry little one, are your Mummy and I causing a fuss?’

She let out a whine which sounded enough like a “yes” to send them both giggling again. After
they had gained their composure enough they moved into the living room where Newt
immediately set to filling an old carpet bag with Esther’s shrunken cot, bottles of milk and various
toys, blankets and clothes. Something which wouldn’t be particularly of note if it wasn't the fact
the items appeared to disappear into a bottomless pit.

“Is that a legal extension charm Mr Scamander?”

He gave her a tentative smile

“Um, it depends…”

“Depends on what?”

His next words were spoken to his feet

“How lenient the Head Auror is feeling?”

She narrowed her eyes at him and had she not been holding Esther she would have crossed her
arms and began tapping her feet yet Newt was looking up at her in the suit that complimented him
far too much and his hair still a decisive mess

“You’re lucky I’m not on duty Mr. Scamander, bribing an auror by looking like that” He furrowed
his brows and she chuckled “I’ll forgive you if you take me to dinner”

“Well, how terribly convenient…”He murmured to himself “I happen to have a booking in fifteen
minutes and was hoping for company, Miss Goldstein”

Trying to ignore the strange tremor that worked through her at the curl of her name she smothered
her flustering with what she hoped was a coy smile.

“Hmm convenient indeed”

 ~*~

The walk after dropping Esther off was a quiet one. Newt had not only left his overcoat but also his
case meaning that as he walked he felt oddly weightless. He would be completely in a spin if it
wasn't for the fact Tina's slightly cold hand was tucked in his. She was in a silk coat he had only
seen a few times and folded into his side as they walked.

It hadn't been as difficult as he thought it would be to leave Esther. He still wasn't entirely sure
what Tina and Queenie had discussed but Tina had assured him that it was a good discussion and as
they handed Esther over the blonde had lit up in quiet happiness. So Newt was starting to feel the
beginning of untameable excitement as they walked in the gentle summer breeze. It was only as
they idly moved to cross the road that Tina spoke up, squinting at the passing cars.

“I’m getting old…”

“I’d warn you before you continue that statement that I am another five years older”

He replied drily causing her to chuckle

“I'm not saying we’re, old I’m just saying I’m gonna be stuck with glasses soon and they ain’t good
in firefights and they’re sort of- y’know,” watching his expression as they crossed the road “Old”

Not really seeing her qualm Newt shrugged

“I think you look quite fetching in your glasses, I’d say more refined and authoritative than old”

Tina wrinkled her nose

“I’d still rather be refined and authoritative in a few more years”

“I still think you look-“ he paused, the words, as usual, forming a blockade on his tongue causing
Tina to turn expectantly in front of the restaurant “You are… Just-“ he dropped his tone and
whispered in her ear for only her “simply exquisite”

She let out a shy chuckle and as he pulled back away he noticed the pink on her cheeks and the
sparkle in her eye as she whispered

“Oh”

Regaining his train of thought he shuffled until his arm was through hers again and gestured up the
steps

“Um, shall we?”

She smiled wider and nodded, allowing him to lead her up the stairs.
As they opened the door Lorenzo greeted them with a loud exclamation of

“My Friend!” As he pulled Newt into a hug, something Newt didn’t particularly appreciate as he
kept his arms as glued to his side as possible until the man let go. “Ah! Not a hugger! Apologies
my friend!” He then elaborately turned to the Host stand to pluck out some delicately painted
menus, his gaze dropping to Tina who was still somewhat holding his arm.

“Ah! Your bella signora, good evening-“

He stooped low enough to kiss her hand and he glanced at Tina and offered her what he hoped was
a placating smile as she returned it with a slight grimace. The man then turned back to him with an
approving gaze “She is beautiful, and very tall, your lioness, non?”

Newt nodded his head awkwardly until finally the chipper man relented and guided them to their
seats by the window, Tina allowing him to pull her chair out before he sat opposite.

Then Lorenzo went waltzing off into the restaurant. It was thankfully not too busy but with enough
activity around them so that they blended into the usual Saturday night scene as they rested their
heads together to peruse the wine menu before settling on a rich elven red. Then once Lorenzo had
reappeared to take their order they settled into their seats with a basket of fresh bread between
them.

There was a beat then Newt murmured

“Jacob said that on a first date, you should talk about music and art and such”

“I suppose that makes sense… Gettin’ to know new people. We’re kind of past that though, aren’t
we?”

“Well… I know your favourite song is Let’s Misbehave”

She smiled at him over the top of her wine glass, her lips already a pleasant pink from the wine.

“Yeah… and yours is-“ she hesitated then blushed “I don't know the name of it, it’s- I could sing it
from memory you always have it on when you’re working in the case”

Despite her obvious embarrassment at being incapable of recalling the title he still smiled and
reached across the table to take her hand.

“It’s okay, I have a few-“

“It’s a waltz, I know that”

“It’s named ‘No one can change destiny’ a muggle creation and rather soothing, I find” He
supplied, relaxing slightly as she appeared to lose some of the embarrassment high in her cheeks.

“I like it too, but it’s- soft. I rocked Esther to sleep to it the other night”

“Hmm, she seems to be quite a fan of ballroom music… One day I'll have to teach her to dance”

Tina nodded, her gaze a little more distant as she clearly cast her mind back to a memory.
“You are a good dancer”

“Only when I have a good partner”

He replied lightly and once again she gave him one of those bashful smiles of hers as she
murmured “Flatterer” setting her chin into her free hand so her head tilted endearingly. He let his
gaze flicker over her, allowing himself enough indulgent moment of disbelief that she wanted him
before mirroring her posture and giving her a languid smile.

“Perhaps”

~*~

The rest of dinner was a gentle affair. Of rich tomato sauces and roasted vegetables served with
pasta and cheeses followed by a dessert consisting of a slice of chocolate tart with a spoon of cream
split between the two of them. They talked of nothing of particular importance: where they wanted
to go, potential places to take Esther as she grew and childhood stories consisting entirely of
sunshine and misadventures. As Newt sat there watching her laugh over a story about his six-year-
old self and some baby hippogriffs he watched her push her hair back behind her ear and he was
struck by how much he loved her. He loved her smile, her eyes, the way she looked at him when
she was angry, her soft sighs as he hovered over her in anticipation in the dim light of their
bedroom, the way she smoothed Esther's downy hair as she murmured the lines of her Yiddish
lullaby and most of all he loved that he was the one who got to see all those sides of her. Just him.
Like the true Tina was a secret he had gotten to tentatively unwrap.

He loved her.

He never wanted to be away.

And thankfully he didn't have to

Before his mind got too caught up in potential futures he cleared his throat and offered his arm to
her as Lorenzo busied himself with slipping their payment into his apron. She took it gently and
after a rather vigorous goodbye from Lorenzo and several rounds of compliments, they entered the
quiet city street.

There were fewer automobiles in this part of town and most of the street's inhabitants had gone
inside long ago. There were a few fellow couples strolling arm in arm between establishments but
mostly they were left to their own accord as they began to walk in the direction of a popular Jazz
speakeasy which seemed the worst kept secret in the city.
The temperature had dropped considerably since they had entered the restaurant, the newfound
summer still too weak to stave off the cold for long, so Newt found himself overcome with
occasional shivers being vacant of his usual charmed great coat until Tina tucked herself into his
side with a gentle sigh. There was a moment of silence then she clearly registered his shivers

“You cold?” He nodded briefly and she frowned lightly “You ain’t getting sick are you?”

“I don’t believe so… I feel fine, I think I’m just not used to being without my coat”

“Oh…Do you wanna go home?”

Immediately he shook his head

“Not at all.” She seemed quietly relieved as he added “I’m sure the speakeasy will be warm enough
and I promised you a dance”

“You did”

She agreed and as they descended the steps into the speakeasy he cast his mind back to Queenie
and Jacobs wedding. It had taken him the first half of the evening to gather the courage to ask her
to dance and then spent the rest of it gently swaying them around the bakery floor. He had sworn
after that that he would dance with her and even at the New Year's Eve MACUSA ball they had
eaten, gotten caught up in excitable conversation from their colleagues then gotten rather caught up
in each other.

So as the heat, noise and cigarette smoke hit his face he found himself unable to feel any usual
dread as he let Tina pull him through the crowds towards the bar. Due to it being a Muggle
establishment, they had to spend quite some time perusing the cocktail menu until they had
decided on something that was more whiskey than fruit juice then gone searching to the furthest
corner away from the noise.

They were in a basement of some description with fairy lights and a few stray lamps providing
most of the light which was mostly blotted out by the thickness of the cigar and cigarette smoke
swirling around against the ceiling. There were candles on each of the tables and in the corner they
had wedged themselves in a few other couples talking lowly in one another’s ears. From their
perch, they could also see the dance floor, not too busy so that people couldn’t move but with an
energy that had people doing wild modern dances as they span each other around. He was aware
Tina could Charleston and the like but the only dances he was particularly proficient at were
mating dances or ballroom waltzes and he doubted Tina would appreciate it if he began doing a
Demiguise mating call in the centre of the dance floor. Self-doubt beginning to crawl up his throat,
he ceased his scanning of the room so that his eyes landed back on his partner who was watching
him with bright eyes as he shrugged off his jacket

“Still cold?”

She remarked and he shook his head, taking a sip of his drink.

“Rather the opposite now, it’s quite eh close in here, don’t you think?”
“Yeah…” She also took off her coat and Newt took it as yet another opportunity to admire her
willowy arms and they rested on the sticky table, the faint glimmer of her bracelet catching the
candlelight as she cocked her head at him. “If they made ‘em legal again it wouldn’t be such a
sweat box”

“I forget alcohol is so unwanted over here” he added as he drank some more “I fear that back in
England if you tried to take away Pubs you’d be fuelling a revolution”

“I can’t imagine you in places like that… With loads of husbands all bellyaching about their wives
and their mistresses and their work”

“Merlin no” he chuckled “On particularly trying days I might indulge in a few Fire Whiskeys at the
leaky cauldron but mostly it’s when Theseus wants a ‘brotherly chat’”

She smirked

“You say that like he has ulterior motives”

“You've met my brother that isn’t exactly uncommon”

She laughed then, a gentle thing until their conversation was interrupted by a bouncing piano
introduction followed by a flurry of trumpets and trombones. A recognisable song from Tina's
well-worn phonograph as they cooked or read.

Watching her expression broaden with anticipation he got to his feet and offered his hand before
letting her lead him to the now frankly vibrating dance floor. It took a moment of organisation
before he had one hand resting on her hip and she had one resting near his neck while their free
hands intertwined, most around them had launched into a convoluted two-step but Tina appeared
content to lead him through a slightly slower version as they moved around the floor just as the
lyrics began.

We're all alone, no chaperone

Can get our number

The world's in slumber

Let's misbehave

Her lips were pulled up in a smile as she mouthed the words and Newt stepped forward slightly to
close the gap between them as he breathed the lyrics into her ear

“There's something wild about you child, That's so contagious, Let's be outrageous, Let's
misbehave”

She giggled a little, clearly amused at his put-on accent, before pressing her lips against his neck as
he continued.

“When Adam won Eve's hand, He wouldn't stand for teasin', He didn't care about those apples out
of season” he licked his lips as another verse began, “They say the Spring, Means just one thing to
little lovebirds, We're not above birds, Let's misbehave”

The band in the corner then launched into an enthusiastic instrumental only ending when the final
verse began and to his surprise, Tina's voice appeared quietly alongside his own

“If you'd be just so sweet, And only meet your fate, dear, It would be the great event of 1928, dear”
They took simultaneous deep breaths as they completed with drawn out breaths “Let's misbehave,
Let's misbehave!”

The dancers erupted into applause as the band took a bow before starting another jazzy tune,
allowing them one last elated look between each other before they took off again.

~*~

A few hours and many circuits of the dance floor later, they emerged onto the silent city street.
Newt hadn’t looked at his watch but he guessed it was around one in the morning as they began to
walk towards their home. Tina was quiet beside him, a content expression on her face, rubbing the
scar that wrapped over the side of his hand with her thumb where their hands joined as she looked
up.

“It’s a nice night…”

Sensing her thoughts he also turned his gaze upwards

“It is… It’s a shame it’s so hard to see the stars”

She hummed in agreement a pensive look on her face then she turned to look at him“When I was a
kid I couldn’t see the stars, the first time I really saw them was Ilvermorny” He smiled gently in a
silent prompt and she chuckled to herself “I must have spent the whole night just sat in my Dorm
window looking up at the sky- couldn’t believe darkness could look so bright”

“I do find it quite comforting…” Newt replied, squeezing her hand “One of those odd little
consistencies”

“We’ve always got the stars, right?”

Her face seemed to fall slightly, her still-painted lips drawn beneath her teeth, so Newt tilted his
head and murmured

“Yes, you can look up at them and know I can see them too. Wherever we are.”

She sniffed then shook her head, slowing to a stop on the corner just before their apartment

“Tina?”

“It’s nothing, I’m being silly” she replied, taking a shuddering deep breath, her eyes damp.

“I can assure you you aren’t being, what’s wrong Tina?”

“This can’t last forever-“ His expression must have shown so she hastened to continue “It can’t
Newt. The past few months have been great, with you and Es and being together but-“

“But?” He gently prompted but she suddenly let out a choked noise

“But we’re on the brink of war! You’re gonna have to go back to England and- and” To his alarm
tears had begun to fall down her cheeks, carving a way through her makeup, so Newt briefly
checked that they were alone before apparating them straight into their living room.

He checked they had managed to land in a furniture-free area then he cupped her cheek.

“Tina, I’m not going anywhere”

“But someday-“

“Someday I may have to go to another country for a few weeks, but I’m not leaving” He then
thought back to the meeting he had had with the president last week, one that had ended with him
signing a rather long document, causing him to walk over to his coat still hung by the door and pull
out a small rectangular card before walking back over and placing it in her hand. She raised it to
her eye line then turned to him, mouth agape.

“This is a MACUSA ID?” He then watched as her eyes scanned the line below “Beasts department
advisor?! Newt- I thought-“

“Don’t worry” he interrupted “Despite initial hesitance on my criminal record once I’d brought to
light the problems it could cause being so negligent he was happy to take me on in an advisory
capacity”

“What does it mean?”

“Well, it means that I will answer most things from home here and only have to attend an
occasional meeting that I will know about far enough in advance for Queenie and Jacob to babysit”
He could still see the hesitation in her wide eyes so he added “It’s not much work in reality, but
alongside the book royalties and your salary it should keep us a little more comfortable. So I’m
officially-“

However, he couldn’t finish his sentence as Tina had surged forward to connect their lips, her
hands grasping his suit jacket as his hands went to her waist, his MACUSA ID drifting to the floor.

They swayed together as he stepped closer, his neck craning up slightly due to her heels until she
reached down to slip them off, her lips never leaving his until she leaned a hair's breadth away.

“You’re staying, you and Esther…”

“For as long as you want, and perhaps a little longer” He murmured against her as she rejoined their
lips, letting him guide her back towards the door to their bedroom until he crowded her against the
doorframe. Whispering in her ear “I love you” before she tugged him through the door.
Chapter End Notes

FYI ‘Let’s misbehave’ was first brought to my attention by the lovely

@ravenpuff1956 in the fic Nocturne. If you haven’t already it is well worth the read.

Please drop by the archive and comment to let the author know if you enjoyed their work!