Stories of Our Life [Volume 1]

12: Orion and the Pleiades

The crisp, cool air blew back her short, brown hair as she leaned on her arms against the bridge, looking out towards the horizon. Porpentina Goldstein sighed. The moon was full, the stars were out, and the whole city of Paris was asleep...except for her. What was she doing on the Pont des Arts bridge so late at night? Well, long story short, she couldn't bring herself to sleep.

It was exactly eleven in the evening when she decided that there is no way that she can sleep with what has happened today and has let her feet bring her somewhere where she can clear her mind. And, violà! she was now standing on the Pont des Arts bridge.

Tina sighed again and drew her eyes away from the moon to look at her crossed arms. Why, out of all the possible places on earth, would he be here? And why, out of all people, would she be here with him? Tina groaned at the single thought of them. Together. Here, in Paris, where she's on a mission with several Aurors from both the Ministry and MACUSA.

She still remembers it all clearly.

It was just after a short lunch break when they suddenly made an appearance. The Aurors were having a meeting when a sudden and distinct crack of an apparition sounded from behind the room drew everyone's attention. At first glance, Tina's heart swelled with joy when she laid her eyes on him after two years of not seeing him. He was there. Newt Scamander. The man who haunts her dreams every night. He was right there. But it all came to a staggering halt when she noticed who he was with.

He was standing there with a dark-skinned, dark-haired woman who was shorter than him. Holding hands, if she may add.

What was worse is that Tina knew who the woman was.

It was Leta Lestrange. Newt Scamander's past flame (love).

The sight of them broke Tina's heart slowly into a million pieces. So, it's true then, she had thought, the papers were telling the truth...

Everything went smoothly from there, but for Tina, it was really hard. Every time she notices that she's going to be left alone with Newt, she'd find a way to leave as quickly as possible. And every time Newt tries to talk to her, let alone make eye contact with her (which was something new, considering Tina thought of Newt as a shy person), she'd avoid it in any possible way.

But with Leta? She was in good terms with her even though she was jealous. Tina wasn't one to lash out or act coldly to a person she wasn't really familiar with. She only gave her small smiles and a few nods.

To sum up her day, it was hard, heartbreaking, and ridiculously awkward.

And that was how she ended up leaning against Pont des Arts in the middle of the night.

The night was silent, just the way she wanted it. She wouldn't someone, especially him, to find her here. Everything was in peace until a very familiar accented voice broke it. "Couldn't sleep?" Tina tensed up. It was to voice she was dreading to hear all day. She panicked mentally and tried to think up of possible escape plans, but she knew it was useless now.

She didn't respond and just continued staring down on her crossed arms. She sighed once more before closing her eyes, hoping that when she opened them, he was gone like the wind.

But when she did, he was still there.

Tina sighed again. Well, she thought, no escaping now. Slowly, she looked up from her arms and stared at the moon as she replied, "Yeah...you?" She instantly regretted her last word, it would just keep the conversation going when she wanted it to end.

She saw him nod in the corner of her eye. Then there was movement and she felt pressure on her right side. She tensed up even more. He was standing beside her and leaning against the bridge. Though there was an appropriate distance between them, set by him (Ever the gentleman, Tina thought once more), Tina's heart didn't stop beating wildly. Why in the name of Deliverance Dane would he be here? Shouldn't he be with Leta?