Return to New York

Distracted

Newt set down his quill and leaned back in his chair. He had been working steadily since he had woken up, trying to make some progress before he had to take care of his creatures. He was working on his manuscript. He had been working on it for the last few days but was only in 'H'. He had to be very careful to correct all the mistakes and to make sure that the editor hadn't changed anything important. Glancing down at his ink-stained hand, he decided it was time to take a break. 

Slowly pushing himself to his feet, he made his way downstairs. The front door opened as he reached the living room and Bunty came in. She scooped up the letters that sat on the doormat and brought them into the house.

"Good morning, Newt," she said, handing him the letters. 

"Morning," he said. He wasn't really paying attention though. He was quickly going through the letters, looking for the one he wanted. He finally found it then broke the seal and pulled the letter out of the envelope. He unfolded it and devoured the contents. A small smile crept across his face as he read and he gently traced a finger over Tina's name. He loved her letters, and he loved her. He read the letter again. She had mentioned that she had finally been given a case. She was working with an Auror named Alton Harper. When Newt had first read that, he had felt a flash of protective jealousy, but Queenie had added a note to the bottom of the letter telling him that there was nothing between Tina and Harper, they weren't even on a first name basis.

"Who's that from?" Bunty asked. She had picked up one of the two newspapers and was beginning to open it. Newt always received two newspapers. One was The Daily Prophet but the other was The New York Ghost. He had decided to receive The New York Ghost because he wanted to know what was happening in New York. The paper always came a day late since it was from across the ocean but he still got it.

Newt looked up at Bunty. "It's from-- she's a friend of mine."

Bunty looked startled. She ducked her head and unfolded the newspaper. "The New York Ghost," she said. "I don't understand why you get this."

"Because I'm curious," he said.

His assistant was glancing at the newspaper so Newt went back to looking through his letters. Eventually, Bunty spoke.

"Grindelwald is going to be moved from MACUSA to Azkaban," she said. 

"What?" Newt asked. "When?"

Bunty studied the paper. "The headline says Grindelwald Extradition Date Confirmed." She frowned slightly. "It says . . . May 30."

"That's a long ways away," Newt said.

"What if he escapes before then?" Bunty asked, a nervous tone to her voice.

"He won't," Newt assured her. "MACUSA is more than capable of holding him."

Bunty went back to looking at the paper then she spoke again. "Something's wrong with these Americans. I mean, how does the story of an Auror being reappointed end up on the front page right next to the article about Grindelwald?" she asked.

Newt started. "What?" He had gone back to looking through his letters but what she had said had caught his attention.

"Right here, on the front page," she said. "Here look."

Newt took the paper from her and glanced at the page. He gasped. There, right on the front page, was a picture of Tina. She smiled up at him and he couldn't help but smile back.

"Tina," he breathed.

"Tina?" Bunty asked. "That's not the name it--"

"No, she goes by Tina," he said. He read the headline: Fearless Porpentina Goldstein (Re)Appointed as Auror. His smile widened. Fearless, he thought. That's the perfect word to describe her. As well as beautiful, strong, stubborn, wonderful, loving, sweet . . . A blush formed on his cheeks as the list continued.

"You know her?" Bunty asked.

"Yes," Newt said. "She's the one who wrote the letter I was reading. She says I'm the one who helped her get her job back but I think she did that herself."

"How did she lose her job?" 

Newt was looking at the newspaper again so he answered without thinking. "She attacked a No-Maj."

"A what?" Bunty said perplexed.

"Oh, sorry," Newt stammered. "A Muggle. She was the leader of a group that wanted to expose the magical community and would beat the kids she had adopted. Tina wanted to protect one of the children. Anyway, a lot of people had to be Obliviated so she lost her job. MACUSA is a lot more strict than the Ministry is."

"How did she end up on the front page?" Bunty asked. "I mean, how does any Auror end up on the front page just for becoming an Auror?"

Newt scanned the article. "It's because she got her job back for helping capture Grindelwald. He was impersonating Percival Graves, the Director for Magical Security, and we captured and revealed him to be Grindelwald."

"We?" Bunty asked.

"Yes -- Uh -- I helped," Newt mumbled. He hid his face behind the newspaper. His eyes fell on a smaller headline below the picture of Tina: President Picquery to Award Ms. Goldstein. He smiled softly. No one deserves that more than Tina, he thought. He studied her picture again. As Tina smiled up at him, he felt a wave of sadness wash over him. He missed her. He missed her desperately. He wanted to be with her, to hug her and hold her close. He wanted to kiss her again. He had never kissed anyone before her, but those few kisses had been the most wonderful things he had ever felt.

"Newt," Bunty called. He looked up. She was watching him worriedly. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine."

Bunty looked like she didn't believe him but she didn't ask him again. "Come on, let's go deal with the creatures and please try not to drift off again."

Newt nodded and followed his assistant into the basement. However, he knew he was probably going to drift off again. He had been doing that a lot recently. Every time he was working on anything, his mind would always drift off, settling on Tina.

A/N: I'm supposed to be doing my homework but it's Sunday so I've got time. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please vote and comment.

I'm really sorry if there's anything in this chapter doesn't make sense because I kept going back and changing things and adding things but I'm to lazy to go back and proofread it.

Have a good day!

Bye!

Written January 13, 2019.