Their Life

Memories

Tina looked at the box in her hands. On it was written "Newt and Tina Scamander." She had found the box sitting on the porch outside the door. Recognizing the handwriting as her mother-in-law's, Tina had carried the box over to the couch and called for her husband.

Newt appeared in the living room a few moments later. Tina smiled at his unkempt appearance. His white shirt was half tucked into his brown pants and the top two buttons were undone. His messy reddish-brown hair fell over his blue eyes.

Moving over to where Tina sat, Newt handed her one of the two mugs he was carrying.

"I made you some coffee. I know you prefer it to tea, though I still don't know how."

Tina laughed and took a sip of the warm, dark liquid. "Thank you."

Newt sat next to his wife and slipped his arm around her shoulders. He planted a kiss on her temple before sipping his tea.

"What's this?" he asked when he noticed the box. He set down his mug and picked the box up.

"I'm not sure," Tina answered. "I haven't opened it yet. Your mother must have left in on our porch."

Newt opened the box. A note lay in the top. Pulling it out, he unfolded it and read it out loud.

Dear Tina and Newt,

I found this box while I was cleaning out the attic. Seeing as neither of you has to go to work today, I thought you might like to take a look at it.

"I wonder what else is in--" Newt fell silent as Tina pulled a slightly dusty photo-album out of the box.

Tina lifted the cover to reveal a picture of a very young, very happy Newt. Beside him stood a slightly older boy that Tina recognized as Theseus, Newt's brother. Both boys were dressed casually and their short hair stuck up in all directions. In between smiling and waving at the camera, they took turns poking and kicking at each other.

Newt chuckled. "That picture was taken the day I left for Hogwarts for the first time. I remember how happy I was to be going with someone who I'd known my whole life."

"They why were you so lonely at school?"

"Theseus was two years older than me and in Slytherin. He had his own group of friends. They let me ride with them on the train, but once we got to Hogwarts, once I was sorted into Hufflepuff, Theseus expected me to get friends for myself.

"He was never mean to me, though. He never brushed me off. If I needed him, he'd try and make time for me. The problem was, our schedules made it difficult. During Christmas and Summer breaks, everything went back to normal.

"However, Theseus didn't understand how hard it was for me to make friends. He found it easy and assumed I was the same. That's when I became friends with Leta. She also was having a hard time making friends. We both liked magical creatures so we gradually became friends."

Tina turned the page. The next several pictures showed a slightly older Newt and Theseus running around, climbing trees, sitting on the back of a Hippogriff, and getting into all sorts of trouble. On one page, there was a folded piece of parchment in place of the picture. Tina pulled this out and unfolded it. The messy scrawl was vaguely familiar.

"I remember when I wrote that," Newt laughed. "I was twelve and had just gotten in trouble for trying to use magic. I had no idea she kept that."

"She's your mother, Newt. Of course she kept it," Tina said as she smoothed out the note and began to read.

Dear Mum, Dad and Theseus,

I'm running away. Don't bother looking for me, you won't find me. I've gone to a place where I can do what I want.