December 16th, 1920.
London, England. United Kingdom.
Dear Amélie:
All I can say is thank you. I was in Amsterdam, following a lead on Grindelwald when I got your message about Newt. I can assume he told you not to tell me, but I'm glad you did.
Unfortunately, I couldn't get there to aid him. They didn't allow me to leave because Grindelwald, well...the guy we thought was Grindelwald, was 'more important'. I came back as soon as I could and found him home, safe and sound. He told me all about his beastly adventures in New York and didn't forget to mention how much you helped him. I guess you're not as stone-cold hearted as you once were.
I won't forget how you looked over my little brother, and I'm in debt with you for that. Well, duty calls and I must leave now. Take care of yourself.
Best regards, Thes.
P.S: Make sure to give Alexandre my greetings, please. Also, hope you don't mind if I ask but, did you pick a date at the end? If so, how did the wedding go? Or when will it be if it hasn't taken place? Have a lovely day or night, I don't know when would you be reading this. Also, you both should come over for tea sometime, we'd be glad to have you here. Is the least I could do for what you've done for Newt.
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
December 18th, 1920.
Paris, France.
Dear Theseus:
I apologise for writing to you after days, I've been extremely busy lately. You should know all about it, Grindelwald's fanatics are spread all over Europe and we're chasing them down to get them all into a prison cell.
You have nothing to thank me for, I have a little sibling myself. I know that if our roles had been swapped, you would have looked after her all the same. I am glad you got home safely, both of you. And you don't owe me anything, giving him a hand and risking my career for the good cause was the least I could do, right?
About Alexandre...I don't have good news. He's gone, Thes. That's why I am and have been Head Auror for months. We settled for a date but the wedding never happened. He passed a month before the celebration. Truth is, I don't feel like talking about what happened to him, not yet at least. And not through a letter or a phone call.
Perhaps, we can meet some other day, at some other time, for that cup of tea. I'd be delighted. Thank you for writing and, as you said before, have a lovely day or night. I don't know when you would be reading this either.
Meilleures salutations, Élie.
P.S: My heart was never stone-cold for everyone, only for you. Tell Newt I'm looking forward to have and read his book. Take care of yourself too, Thésée. And send my warmest regards to Leta, please. Oh, and, if you're ever at Newt's place, greet Pickett from me would you? Don't you forget about it.
P.S.S: Don't come here. I know you and I know that, as soon as you are done reading this, you'll get up from your seat and find a way to get here. There is no need for you to do that. I'm busy, you are busy and things are still pretty complicated in the world right now. Stay in London, if that's where you are now, or at any other place you might be. I am okay, je promets.
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
August 10th, 1921.
London, England. United Kingdom.
British Ministry of Magic.
Ever since that letter exchange, the two of them didn't exchange any more words. Theseus dish get out of his seat and was about to head to Paris when he read how Amélie asked him not to. He sat back down and resumed his work as a part of his mind and heart continued to think about Rosier, caring for her.
If these Aurors did talk, it was work related. And they met whenever they coincide on meetings, at the different Offices, Ministries, etcetera. But nothing else from that and it had been months, eight long months. And let me tell you, that it was rarely whenever they met.
Today, Theseus was about to enter a hearing in which Newt tried to get his traveling licence back on to travel internationally again, but with the Ministry's permission this time. When the time came, he stood from his desk and made his way to one of the many hearing rooms in the building.
As he walked, he found Newt and Leta talking in the hallway, right outside the room's door. Both of them looked at him, Theseus winked an eye at Leta and proceeded to smile at the two people before him. She smiled back, Newt just nodded.
"Hello." He greeted both of them.
"Theseus." She said swiftly. "We were just talking about Newt coming for dinner." He lifted his eyebrows, surprised at the topic. Specially because Newt never came to dinner whenever they had invited him.
"Really?" He looked at his brother, who had his eyes glued to the red carpet beneath his feet. "Well..." Theseus looked at the door. "Look, before we go in there, I, um..."
"It's my fifth attempt, Theseus. I know the form." Newt finally spoke without even looking at him, making Theseus sigh. They are not the closest pair of siblings, haven't been for a while. They slowly, and accidentally, drifted away from each other months after their father's passing. They no longer told each other everything, or played Quidditch at their backyard, or raced each other on their broomsticks, anything. Suddenly, their interests were different and with their careers...they focused on building a future.
"This isn't- this isn't gonna be like the other times, Newt. This is...just...try to keep an open mind. Will you? And maybe a little less..." With a simple gesture and unspoken words, he pointed at the leaves of Pickett's head that could be seen from the inside of the pocket of Newt's coat.
"Like me." He didn't want to say it like that. He never means things like that. Truth is that, despite being separated by what they do now, Theseus still knew his brother. He knew these meetings get him frustrated, people get him frustrated and, sometimes, Newt tends to be...sarcastic and noncooperative. He gets so annoyed, very easily.
"Well, it can't hurt. Come on, let's go." He buried his hands in the pockets of his grey trousers while Newt buried his fists in the pockets of his coat. Leta smiled at Newt as the door of the room was opened and they both got in.
The room was dark, only illuminated by the dim light emitted by tiny lightbulbs. The table where the council was sat had what seemed to be a puddle on it, the water was bright, it seemed as if it had light inside. Around the table, three men were sat and already waiting for them: Torquil Travers, Arnold Guzmán and Rudolph Spielman. This last fella had what seemed to be a bite on his neck. Newt tried to get a better look as he sat on the empty chair that was across from Travers', but the illumination didn't let him have a clear view.
"Hearing commences." Said Travers as Theseus sat on the empty chair that was in between him and Spielman. "You want to end the ban on you traveling internationally. Why?"
"Because I'd like to travel internationally." Theseus suppressed a sigh as he looked at his laced fingers that rested on his lap and raised his eyebrows again, closing his eyes. There it was, the sarcasm of his little brother's closed mind.
"Subject uncooperative and evasive on reasons for last international trip." Said Spielman, he was reading Newt's file.
"It was a field trip, sir." Newt told him. "I was just collecting material for my book on magical beasts."
"You destroyed half of New York." Said Travers.
"No, that's factually incorrect on two counts, actually."
"Newt." Theseus said softly, without raising his voice, but with a certain severity on his tone. He also made a subtle hand movement, asking Newt to calm down and just listen. Newt simply tilted his head, annoyed still.
"Mister Scamander." Guzmán called Newt's attention. "It's clear you're frustrated, and frankly, so are we." He pointed at everyone in the room with his eyes. "In the spirit of compromise, we'd like to make a proposition." Newt looked at his big brother, who simply nodded and mouthed 'listen'. That's when Newt's green eyes looked at Guzmán again.
"What kind of proposition?"
"The committee will agree to lift your travel ban under one condition." Travers started.
"You join the Ministry." Spielman dropped the bomb. "Specifically, your brother's department." Theseus tilted his head and offered one of his characteristic downward smiles, he had the hope Newt could agree. All Newt could do, was smile. But it wasn't a happy smile or an enthusiastic smile. It was more of a...'come on' smile, if that makes any sense.
"No." He said, shaking his head. Theseus' smile disappeared and his lips formed a thin line as he nodded, not disappointed, simply...accepting with a bitter taste that Newt didn't want to be working with him. Truth is, Theseus thought it would give them some quality time and that they'd be able to be that team they once were. Newt had worked in the Ministry for a while, obviously not as part of the Auror Office, he was a member of the Department of Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. The oldest Scamander exhaled as Newt breathed in to continue. "I...I'm not...Theseus is the Auror." He pointed at his brother with his hand. "I think my talents lie elsewhere."
"Mister Scamander." Guzmán said again. "The wizarding and non-wizarding worlds have been at peace for over a century. Grindelwald wants to see that peace destroyed. And for certain members of our community, his message is very seductive. Many purebloods believe it is their birthright to rule not only our world but the non-magic world as well." The puddle that was in the middle of the table moved as if someone ran their fingers through its water. As the water settled, it showed Grindelwald. He had long hair, unlike the last time Newt had seen him back in New York months before he escaped from MACUSA as they tried to bring him here to lock him up in Azkaban. "They see Grindelwald as their hero and Grindelwald sees this...boy." The dark wizard's image shifted into someone he got to know very little. "As a means to make this all come true." Credence.
"I'm sorry." Said Newt. "You're talking about Credence as if he was still here."
"He survived, Newt." Theseus spoke softly, making Newt go silent. His eyes pinned to Theseus as he nodded. "He's still alive. He left New York months ago and he's somewhere in Europe. Where, exactly, we don't know, but-"
"You want me to hunt Credence down?" Asked the youngest Scamander boy. "To...kill him?"
"Same old Scamander." Said a voice from the back of the room. It crawled out of a dark corner and the person who had spoken approached slowly, the heels of his shoes echoing in the room. When the light hit him, it revealed a face filled with scars. Grimmson, the beast hunter. Bounty hunter.
"What is he doing here?" Asked Newt, furious. He had to look down as the man smiled cynically. Theseus simply glared at the hunter with fire in his eyes. He hates him for insulting his brother whenever he could and because he was a Dark Wizard in the past. Theseus was the one to catch him.
"Taking on the job that you're too soft to do." Theseus tightened his fingers together, as if he calmed himself by doing that and avoid jumping from his seat to punch the guy's face. He just can't stand him either. None of the Scamander boys can. "Is that it?" He asked as he looked at Credence's image on the table's surface, referring to him, not as a person, but a creature. That's when Newt decided he had enough of this and stood up. Thes sighed again.
"Travel documentation denied!" Said Travers as Newt exited the room. A second later, Theseus clicked his tongue and stood up, going after Newton. Once outside, he looked to the right and there was no sign of him, not until he looked to the left.
"Newt!" He called as he walked after his brother, whom had stopped walking and turned around to face him. "You think I like the idea of Grimmson any more than you do?"
"Listen, I don't want to hear how the ends justify the means, Theseus." Newt said.
"I think you're gonna have to pull your head out of the sand!"
"Okay, right, here we go. What a selfish, irresponsible-" He started reciting what Theseus had said to him when he got expelled from Hogwarts all those years go. Back in the day, with their father gone and a mother that was too depressed to handle that kind of stuff, Theseus took upon the role of the dad. And Newt never forgot that lecture he had given him.
"You know? The time is coming." Theseus spoke what he actually wanted to say. "When everyone is gonna have to pick a side. Even you."
"I don't do sides." Theseus sighed and Newt started to walk away again.
"Newt. Newt!" He turned around once more and Theseus opened his arms. "Come here." He pulled Newt in for a hug. He didn't return the hug, but he didn't refuse either. "They're watching you." He whispered into his ear, moments later, Newt pulled away from his embrace and walked away.
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
Paris, France.
French Ministry of Magic.
Amélie signed a report and proceeded to place it to her right. She sighed as she took another paper from the stack on the left. She's been doing that all afternoon, these days at her little office were so boring. They were easier when Andre was here, they'd open a bottle of wine and sign papers, write some more and eventually go home to finish the bottle at their cozy home.
Sadly those days were over and the wine had run out. They had opened the last bottle the day he died. They shared two glasses, got a lead on Grindelwald, ran out of the Ministry, got to the river Seine Bridge and found nothing. Moments later, they were ambushed and he perished on the fight. When she returned to the office, she grabbed the bottle, went home and threw it out of the window, watching it break against the concrete.
Élie placed the brown eagle quill into the ink container to run her hands through her hair and closed her eyes. That's when the door snapped open, as well as her eyes. Her glance shoot up to find Elyna with a worried expression and her wand in her hand, Élie frowned.
"Madame, we have a situation." Said she.
"What is it?" She stood up from her chair.
"Is better if you come and see it." Amélie grabbed her wand from the desk and both of them got out of the office and eventually out of the Ministry. There were three Aurors already there, all of them in front of a funerary carriage. Amélie frowned and moved her hand softly, she had placed a dome over them all that would make them invisible at anyone's sight. The redhead frowned and looked at Elyna. "We were informed it was outside by a woman."
"Did you take her name?" The blonde woman shook her head.
"She walked out the second she informed the doorman and deapparated immediately. He said he asked but she didn't answer and always kept her head low." Élie sighed.
"Why is this here?"
"It's a message, Madame." Said François, one of the Aurors, as he handed over an envelope. "It was on top one of the coffins." Amélie opened it and took out the note.
"For the greater good." She read out loud what was written over the white sheet, her eyes shooting up. "Grindelwald." She said as Charles walked out of the carriage. "That bastard is in our city again." She said as her hands were placed over her hips.
"It's a marriage." He informed. "Man and woman. They were non-magiques." Amélie sighed.
"Take them to the closest funerary house and find out who their families were, make the arrangements and give them a funeral. Set the expenses to my account, turn my money into Non-Magique money." She told Elyna, who nodded, as she made her way back into the building and whipped her wand to make the invisibility dome disappear.
"Madame." Charles called as he approached her, Amélie turned around and raised her eyebrows. "I found this inside. It was in the flower arrangement." He showed her an emerald green envelope. "It has your name on it." Amélie frowned and took it.
"Merci, Charles. Please help Elyna with what I just asked."
"Oui, Madame." He said and turned around. Élie did just the same, to resume her way in. Once she was inside the building again, she opened the envelope and read the note. She frowned and stopped walking when her eyes went through the first part.
"Bonjour, grande sœur. Long time no see. I wish to say I have missed you, but that wouldn't be true.
I have a gift for you, I assume you have seen it by now. Consider it my official return home, only that it won't be for long. I wish you had joined us, everything would have been better had you done so. You only keep making things harder.
I must leave, I have important things to do. For the grater good. I assume I'll see you soon. Au revoir, Vinda."
Amélie's eyes scanned Vinda's signature and her name. She knew it was authentic, for that was her handwriting. Her eyes scanned the paper over and over again. It was true, she had joined him and she couldn't believe it. Vinda was not like this, she was not evil, she could never...oh, but she has. The Auror looked at the back of the note to see if there was anything else and found another thing that was written there.
"P.S: I left something at your office. Might want to check that out."
Élie's eyes shoot up and she ran to her office. When she walked in, everything looked normal, the stacks of papers were where they should be, her coat, her hat, her quill. Nothing was out of place, but something was definitely not there when she left. A basket. It was placed on her chair.
She approached the basket slowly, wand at the ready, and frowned when she saw how there were baby blankets inside. Her hand shook as she grabbed the blanket and moved it away. She screamed, covered her mouth, and gave a step back. Her back colliding against the bookshelf roughly when her eyes found the terrified face of a child. A dead child. His green eyes opened wildly, his brown hair a bit messy. Amélie's eyes filled with tears as she saw another note in his hand. She felt sick as she took it.
"Looks like the boy you could have had if only your fiancé hadn't died that night at the bridge, right? Such a pity he jumped in front of you when I threw the spell. Have a lovely evening, Ange. Yours truly, Vinda."
Amélie stepped away, feeling her heart breaking, sinking to her feet and the urge to vomit. She stormed out of the office and ran to the nearest loo. She stepped into one of the cubicles and puked until she could breath again. She grabbed a piece of toilet paper, whipped her mouth and flushed the toilet.
She walked to the nearest sink, took a mouthful of water and spit it immediately, then, she walked out. Her eyes scanned the hall from left to right as to make an attempt at finding her sister, but there was no one there. She then approached Mrs. Dupont, her assistant, who was sitting on her desk a few steps from the door of her office. The woman clearly heard what had happened
but she learned with the time to not ask Amélie Rosier many questions, she knew she'd share if she was comfortable and, given the look on the redhead's face, she didn't. She wouldn't share this with her.
"Mrs. Dupont, did you let anyone in my office?" Rosier asked.
"Oui, Madame. It was your sister, Vinda Rosier. She said she had brought you some fruit but she had to leave for work, so, she couldn't stay. She sends her best regards, though."
"When did you let her in?"
"Few minutes ago. She was in a rush, you could see that."
"Right...Merci."
"Oui, Madame." Amélie walked into the office, grabbed her coat and threw it on, placed her hat over her head and covered the child with the blanket. She then proceeded to take a mint from the candy jar she has on her desk, sprayed some perfume over her neck, grabbed her keys and the basket.
When she walked out, she locked the door with the key and then with a magic spell. She looked at the fancy dark wooden door as she thought of who could she tell about this, as it was something far too personal. It clicked in her head only moments later.
"Mrs. Dupont, please cancel all my appointments and meetings for today. I need to leave."
"Will do, Madame. May I ask where? I need to inform them."
"I'm off to London. Give them all my apologies, would you?"
"Absolutely."
"Merci beaucoup. Make sure to inform Antoine about my sister's visit." The woman with grey hair nodded. "Oh, and, don't let anyone under any circumstance into my office for the rest of the day, please." The woman nodded again, and Amélie made her way out. Mrs. Dupont pretended she didn't notice Élie was carrying the 'gift' Vinda had brought.
Once Rosier was outside, she disappeared and appeared at the alley that's beside the funerary house. The closest one, and she saw François right outside. They nodded at each other as she walked in and found Elyna and Charles further into the building.
"Madame, what are you doing here?"Asked Charles.
"The couple had a child." She handed over the basket. "He was left at my office." They frowned. Elyna peaked behind the blanket and closed her eyes roughly at the sight while Charles sighed.
"Who could be as vile?" Asked Elyna.
"I don't know." She spoke with honesty. Despite knowing the name, she no longer recognised the woman.
"Leaving the baby at your office sounds like something personal, Amélie." Charles pointed out.
"Well, I helped capturing him. Grindelwald won't be kind to me." She sighed. "Make sure to bury the three of them together." Both nodded with sad expressions. "Leave three white flower ornaments, white roses, okay? I need to visit someone in London, so, Lyna you're in charge while I'm gone. Charles you're her right hand as usual."
"Oui, Madame." He said and Rosier nodded. Then, she walked out. Once outside, she teleported to London. She apparated in an alley as well, the rain falling over her. She made her way to the Ministry's visitor entrance, a telephone booth. She walked in, dialled the number and started descending until she was in the building.
There, she wasted no time in making her way to the Head Auror office. They hadn't talk in a long while but this time, she needed someone she could trust in their line of duty and that happened to be Scamander. When she arrived, she found his assistant typing something on a typing machine.
"Hi." She greeted.
"Hello." He said with a smile. "How can I help you?"
"I'm looking for Mister Scamander."
"I'm afraid he's in a meeting right now, can I ask you to wait for him, please?"
"No. Tell him it's very important. Urgent even."
"I'm sorry, but his meeting is just as important."
"Well, tell him I have information about Grindelwald." The face of the assistant changed. "And tell him is Amélie Rosier, Head of the French Auror Office, who would like to meet him now. Please" He stood up in a blink. "And please, be very discrete about this."
"Will do, ma'am. Please give me a minute." He left walking quickly down the hall and Amélie simply kept her hands in her pockets until she started to play with the ring that's still around her left ring finger. Eventually, the two men showed up, both walking fast towards her.
"Thank you." She told the assistant, who nodded with a nervous smile and sat back down.
"Miss Rosier, this way, please." He said and guided her to his own office. They walked into it immediately. "Long time no see." He said as she looked around and he looked at her. Her hair was very long now, unlike last time he had seen her, she seemed thinner and more tired, and she looked paler.
"Thankfully." She said and he scoffed. She smiled. "Nice office."
"Thanks." She gave him a head nod as she walked from one side to another. He frowned. "You okay?" She remained silent. He still knew her, despite everything. She wasn't, but he didn't want to push. "So...you have information about Grindelwald's whereabouts?" He asked after a short pause as he made his way to his chair.
"Indeed. I know where he is." He frowned. "I don't trust anyone in the Ministries but my Aurors and I even doubt some times." He nodded. "I didn't know who else to go to with this." He felt something in his chest he hadn't feel in a long time. Theseus breathed in.
"Alright..." He sat down at his chair and made a hand movement to invite her to sit down. "I'm listening."
"I'm okay, thank you." She remained standing. "I won't tell you here."
"You're that doubtful?"
"Yes." He sighed.
"Fine." He said after a while in silence. "Come on." He stood up, grabbed his coat and put it on before they both walked out. He locked the door with the key and then with a spell. She frowned as she acknowledged he does just the same as she does. "Porter, reschedule all my meetings for tomorrow and...cancel tonight's dinner, I'm afraid I need to leave. Send my apologies, please."
"Will do, sir." Said the assistant.
"Thank you." Amélie nodded goodbye and both of them made their way out of the building. He then offered his arm, she took it and they disappeared from the rainy street to appear on another Victorian street, few miles away from the Ministry. They stepped closer to the entrance of a tall house, got to the door and eventually, he opened it. "I believe there's no safest place to discuss it than here." He added, turning on the lights and taking off his coat as he closed the door with his foot.
"Your house?"
"Indeed. May I take your coat and hat?" He asked, being the gentleman he was taught to be. She nodded and he took off her coat, when she had taken off the hat, she handed it over. He placed them next to his own on the rack and proceeded to pour themselves some water.
"Merci." He hummed and nodded. That's when she bit her lip and started walking around the living room like she had done at his office.
"Why do you keep doing that? It's freaking me out." She didn't answer. "Élie..? What's going on?" She stopped to look at him, her hands on her hips while his rested on the marble counter.
"He's in Paris." She grabbed one glass and took a large sip.
"Alright, how do you know?"
"He killed a Non-Magique family."
"Oh." A pause.
"He or...someone left the carriage with two coffins inside right before the Ministry's entrance, inside were the husband and his wife. There was a note that said 'for the grater good' on top of one of the coffins." She left the glass on the surface and started pacing around the living room again. "And- and not only that. A baby was killed too, a year old boy. The couple's child." She started crying, overwhelmed.
"Hey." He moved from behind the counter towards her. His hands found her shoulders and he made her sit on his grey couch while Theseus sat across from her on the coffee table. "Hey. It's okay."
"No. It's not okay, Theseus." She frowned and looked down. "There's more." From the pocket of her trousers she took out the first note she had received. Theseus took it and read it, frowning at all the words his eyes met on the paper. "That note was left on a flower ornament that was on top another coffin, left for me to read." She sighed. "Vinda is my sister." She explained, his eyes shooting up and meeting hers in a second. "When I was in New York, Grindelwald offered me to join his lines when he was disguised as Graves. He said he could give me a family reunion if I did." She sniffed. "I didn't want to believe it, but now..." He sighed.
"She left something in your office?" She nodded. "What was it?"
"A basket with the corpse of the baby boy inside." He frowned.
"What on Earth? Why would she do something like that?"
"To torture me even more. He had green eyes, they looked much like mine, and he had brown hair. She...left another note in his little hand, it said that he looked like the baby I could have had, hadn't Andre died at the bridge." He frowned.
"How did she know about his passing?" Amélie started to cry again.
"Because she was there." Her tears started falling down her cheeks. "She aimed for me, she wanted to kill me. But he jumped in front of me to save me and he..." She groaned as she didn't want to say it, the phrase burned. "He died in my arms."
"Hey, hey." He stood up and hugged her. She stood up to to receive the hug properly, his arms were around her neck while hers were around his torso. Theseus' chin rested on top of her head and his hand caressed her braided hair while his other hand rested on her back, his thumb drawing circles. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." They remained like that, silent for a moment until she stopped crying and pulled away. She shrugged. "I wish I could've been there, he was a nice man." She smiled.
"He was." A tear fell down but Theseus brushed it away swiftly. She frowned and he pulled his hand away, keeping it in his pocket as he mentally slapped himself, he shouldn't have done that. "I didn't tell anyone but his family and a few close friends. It's my fault many didn't know."
"Don't blame yourself, Élie. It was privacy. It's understandable you'd want that and, if his family agreed, then it's what they wanted as well." She sighed.
"Maybe." They were silent for a moment.
"Hey, uh...are you hungry?" He asked out of nowhere. "I think I have some left overs from last night's dinner, if you'd like." She giggled and he smiled, Élie nodded moments later.
"That would be lovely, thank you."
"Alright." They let go of each other and made their way to the kitchen. She sat on one of the stools while he opened the fridge and looked inside. "Let's see...I have some spaghetti and...chicken. It's orange chicken. Both cooked by myself." She saw the fridge was basically empty. "It's not much, I spend more time at the Ministry than my own home lately...you know, that's the job we chose." He groaned as he took out the recipients.
"You can cook?"
"Yes, believe it or not. My mother taught me." With a flick of his wand, the stove turned on, the food started to heat up and the plates were served right before them. Moments later, the food was served. "Parmesan?" She nodded and he started to sprinkle it over the pasta. "Bon appétit."
"Ah, merci, monsieur."
"You're welcome." She chuckled and brought the pasta close to her mouth but stopped before eating it, narrowed her eyes and looked at him. "What?"
"Did you posion it?" He laughed.
"Eat it and find out." She smiled and took the bite. "Did you die?"
"Don't you think that if I had died either my face would've fallen onto the plate or I would have fallen down?" He shrugged and ate his own.
"I don't know, perhaps." She scoffed.
"So, have you finally learned to speak French?" She asked after a moment.
"Oh, not at all. I just know a few words and phrases, learned them during the war." He looked at her. "I still don't understand much of...whatever you say." She smiled.
"That's the whole point." He chuckled.
"I know." They continued to eat in silence.
"So...how has your life been lately? Hopefully more cheerful than mine."
"Sort of, yeah." He said.
"I'm glad."
"I, uh...I got engaged." She raised her eyebrows. "Yeah, to Leta."
"I assumed. That's...wonderful news, félicitations."
"Thanks."
"Do you have a date yet?"
"We do, October 2nd."
"That's quite soon."
"I know." He chuckled.
"Are you nervous?"
"Sort of. Yeah. Very, actually." She chuckled.
"Surely you'll be fine, you two make a good couple."
"Thank you."
"Will she be home soon?"
"No, we don't live together yet."
"Oh."
"Yeah, we have different schedules. We tried living together for a while but she'd get home and I wouldn't be there or she'd leave when I was arriving, or there was an emergency and I had to leave immediately. We decided to deal with that after the wedding."
"I see. It makes sense." She understood. They shared a few more moments in silence.
"Did you and Alexandre ever lived together?"
"We did. For nearly a year, I think. We did share schedules, that made it sort of easier. Still he had more responsibilities than I did." Theseus nodded and looked at her left hand as she lifted the glass of water to take a sip.
"I noticed that...you're still wearing your ring." He said.
"Oh...yeah. It was a stupid promise."
"He made you promise not to take it off even if he...you know." She chuckled.
"No. Not that stupid." She sighed through her nose after breathing in. "He said that, if something happened to him, he'd like me to take it off when I considered I could move on, when I allowed myself to move on. I assume he meant the wedding ring but...we never got to marry, so, the engagement ring should do it." She scoffed. "It's not that stupid but stupid all the same." She shrugged. "The stupid things we do for love, huh?"
"Yeah..." They finished their meal as they caught up on some other things and eventually reminisced of the time they got to spend together years ago, leaving out the 'relationship' bit. Then, without them knowing, night had fallen over London. They were laughing at something they had remembered as they washed the dishes, both of them with the sleeves of their shirts rolled up to the elbow. When he had washed the soap off of the last plate, Theseus dried his hands with a rag and took his watch out of the pocket of his vest, it was midnight already. "Merlin's beard, look at the time. That bastard does fly." She chuckled and took a sip of her water once she had dried her hands as well, spotting a blue lace tied around the chain of the watch. She recognised it immediately, but didn't ask. "Midnight." She placed the glass down, rising her eyebrows.
"Bonté divine, I should leave." She left the glass into the sink before rolling down her sleeves and making her way to the coat rack to take her coat. "I still need to find a place to stay, I'd like to sleep before going back to Paris. I'm too tired as to do it now, if I'm brutally honest." A sigh escaped her lips. "It was...a long day today."
"What if you stay here?"
"Here?" He nodded. "I don't want to bother you any more than I already have."
"You didn't bother me. The second you tie my shoelaces again you'll be bothering me but this...it wasn't a bother at all. It was actually quite nice to see you again" She stopped from putting on her coat and smiled at him. "Emphasis on the 'quite'." He smiled and she chuckled. "Look, it's late, it's still raining and booking a hotel room for just one night is a worthless expense. And you're already here. Stay and we'll leave for Paris tomorrow morning after breakfast." She smiled.
"Thank you." He nodded and she placed the coat on the rack again. That's when he walked to the bottom of the house and into his bedroom, he got a pillow and a few blankets he had in his closet and brought them to the living room. He started arranging the couch.
"Alright." He said once he was done. "Bedroom is the first door to the left, the one across is the bathroom." He sat down on the couch and took off his shoes while she frowned.
"I thought the couch was for me."
"No, what kind of person would I be if I let you sleep on this couch? I've fallen asleep here, believe me, it's not as comfortable as it looks like to take a nap on. This one is made for sitting and sitting only. You have the bed." He smiled, amused at his own comment for no reason. This reminded her of that young boy she met at Hogwarts even more, the one who laughed at his own jokes. The boy who used to make jokes.
"No."
"Yes."
"Theseus, no."
"Amélie, yes."
"I won't take your bed."
"Why?"
"Because it's your bed and...it's inappropriate."
"It's not, you're just sleeping on it and by yourself. If I were there and neither of us had their clothes on then it would be inappropriate. But, given the fact that it is not the case and it will never happen, you get the bed. I left you a jumper I have on it for you to wear instead of sleeping in your suit." She smiled at the very considerate man who's before her. "Also, I left a pair of trousers there."
"Thank you." He nodded and she made her way to the bedroom. There, she found the clothes, as promised, and another pillow. She closed the door before taking off her boots and then her clothes. She put on the jumper over her underwear and realised the piece of clothing was bloody massive. The fabric reacher her knees. It surprised her how tall and how big Theseus had gotten through the years. She tried on the trousers and they were very big for her as well, that made her laugh as she took them off and walked out. "Hey, uh, the trousers are too big for me. As a matter fact, all your clothes are." He was looking out of the window, his shirt slightly unbuttoned, the tie in his hand, and turned to see her.
Her braid fell down her left shoulder and the jumper looked like a big dress on her. He smiled, amused at the view. She gave him the trousers.
"Why are you giving me these? Could've just left them in the closet."
"I know, but I figured they'd be more comfortable than your suit." He smiled and nodded.
"Thank you." She nodded back.
"Bonne nuit, Thes."
"Goodnight, Élie." He watched her unbraid her red mane as she walked down the hall and into the bedroom. When the door closed, Theseus turned off the lights with the use of his wand and proceeded to get undressed. He left his clothes over the other couch and put on the pants that fitted him perfectly. He took off his shirt and threw on another jumper he had taken from his closet.
With the lights off, both of them placed their heads on top of the pillows, looked at the ceiling for a moment, then at the windows and watched the rain hit the glass. But neither could fall asleep. Theseus had suffered from insomnia for a while and Amélie could only see Alexandre and the baby whenever she closed her eyes. She looked at her own pocket watch and saw that it marked 2:30 in the morning all of the sudden.
She sighed and stood up, opened the door quietly and walked on her tippy toes to be as quiet as possible to not wake Theseus up. Whenever this happened to her she'd prepare herself some tea to calm down and sleep, and she had seen the kettle and the cups made out of porcelain in the cupboard when Theseus took the glasses for the water. Only that when she reached the kitchen, Scamander was already preparing some tea.
"Can't sleep either, huh?" He asked with a smile as he placed some tea in one cup.
"Yeah. I was going to prepare it myself, I figured you would be asleep."
"I wish." He sighed. "Insomnia, consequence of the PTSD of the war." He handed over the cup to her, which she took. Their fingertips brushing against each other. The warmth of the tea felt cozy against her cold fingertips.
"Thank you. You had night terrors?" He took out another cup and served himself the hot liquid.
"Indeed. They come back from time to time, rarely though. Now...I just can't seem to fall asleep immediately. I guess it's also anxiety." He took out the honey and a pair of teaspoons. She smiled as he remembered how she takes it, no sugar, just honey. She convinced him to try it once and he hasn't taken his tea with sugar again ever since.
"Tell me about it." He smiled and she smiled back as both took a sip of the tea. Forest fruits, their favourite. She smiled when he looked at the window, he didn't see her smirking. She looked at the coffee table behind her, spotting Newt's book. She stood up and walked to grab it, then, she sat on the couch. That's when he smiled.
"Did you get it?"
"I did. I'm looking forward to meet him again so he can sign it." Theseus chuckled and walked up to her, once he was by her side, he sat down. She covered her legs with one of the blankets and read the book as she took a sip of her drink.
As he was much taller, he just had to move a few inches closer to her to read the pages as well, her head not covering his vision field. They both read and she'd wait for a hum from him, letting her know he was done reading the page so she'd turn to the next one. And they were like that for a while, neither cared about the time. At some point, when the last sips of tea were cold in the cups and the rain had stopped, Theseus felt his eyelids heavy and he knew Amélie was asleep when her head fell upon his shoulder like a magnet and she didn't turn the page when he hummed.
He looked down and saw her completely lost in her dreams, he smiled as he hoped they were good instead of terrible nightmares. He breathed in and out and started moving slowly in order not to wake her up, then, he placed the book marker on the page they had stayed on, took the book from her hands, closed it and left it on the table. Then, he stood up and carried her from the couch to take her to his bedroom.
Once there, he placed her on the bed and covered her figure with the bedsheets. When he made sure she was comfortable, he walked out of the room and went back to the living room. Thes sat down on the couch, ran his hand through his hair and laid down on his uncomfortable piece of furniture. He looked at the ceiling for a while before closing is eyes and falling asleep.