Archive of Our Own ^beta

Tina had the dream again. She was talking with Newt. Newt, who was being quarantined away from everyone since the incident. Newt who wasn’t getting to know their grandchildren because he couldn’t remember them. Newt who was her everything and had looked at her as nothing more than a concerned face.

The dreams only happened in the winter. They only occurred around the time they met. As if it was fate’s cruel trick on her. That she only could talk to him in December. Maybe it was her subconscious’s desperate desire to get back to December of long ago. But then why did the dreams always start in a forest outside a cabin? A cabin like the one Tina knew she and Theseus had agreed Newt would be safest in. 

Everytime the dream occurs, Newt looks at her as if she hung the moon and stars. He smiles at her so brilliantly, the way he always had before. But he never remembers her. It was clear that his memory was still fractured even in the dreams. Sometimes it made Tina believe it wasn’t a dream, but their souls speaking to each other from the bond they held. So over the course of the four years the dreams occurred, Tina would tell Newt stories to help his memories return. Every night in December, she would go to bed ready to tell one Newton Scamander of his grand adventures from the journeys he had with his beasts to the birth or adoption of their four children. She just never mentioned herself. Tina would reference a wife or the children’s mother, just never herself. She couldn’t bring herself to.

Then finally, finally one night, early in December four years after that fateful encounter with newest rising dark wizard’s followers, it happened. Newt uttered the words she’d longed to hear.

“I think I remember.”

“You do?” 

“I do. But I feel as if there is something missing. A person missing.”

Gently, Tina laid her head against his shoulder, leaning back against the tree on the hill they sat on. “A person you say?”

“An important person. The most important person really.”

She just smiled as she looked up at him. He was staring off into the distance with that lovely determined look he got when frustrated. His lips were puckered and his eyes hard set. It was the loveliest look Tina had ever seen in one of these dreams. Slowly, she kissed his shoulder, but he didn’t seem to notice so she sat up. “Why don’t I tell you a story about a niffler, a bank, a silly, misguided magizoologist, and a disgraced Auror who just wanted to eat her lunch?”

**********************************************************

Tina . That was Newt’s only thought as he and Theseus stepped out of the portkey office. Too bad there was a hoard of others looking for him. His children ran to him first. Each looked four years older. His daughter had a toddler on her hip that hadn’t been there before. Little Artemis was thrust into his hands and he couldn’t help but smile at his granddaughter. A five year old Remus was hugging his leg as well while Ellie tried to get her oldest to let go. Jack and Joe were chasing their own gaggles of children to their partners. Michael just stood back clearly content not having children.

Newt smiled at each of his children and their spouses, but he had his eyes on one particular member of his family. Tina was the furthest away, clearly trying to fight back any instincts to run at him. Which was rather impressive given that she hadn’t seen him in four years. And Newt remembered how their last interaction had gone.

“Wife? Do I look like I have a wife?”

“Newt, honey-“

“No! I don’t know who you are! Why would anyone want to marry me anyway? I swore I’d never get married. I don’t remember why, I just know I did!”

He cringed thinking about it. He owed her an apology. Finally, Newt broke away from his fussing daughter, telling her Remus was fine. He lifted his grandson up into his arms and approached Tina. She smiled and held out her arms for their oldest grandchild. Quickly the young boy went to his beloved Nan and rested his head on her shoulder.

“Hello, love.”

“Newt.” She reached out and cupped his cheek. Smiling, she rubbed her thumb along his bones. He closed his eyes and leaned into Tina’s touch. After several seconds, Newt turned his head to kiss her palm. That seemed to break any resolve she had. She flung her free arm around him and was careful, being mindful of the young children in their arms. “Oh I missed you.”

Newt just gripped her waist with his own free arm. “I missed you too.” He pecked her forehead as they held each other. Remus and Artemis seemed content being a part of the hug. Slowly their other grandchildren came to join them. Little Hallie, Joe’s oldest daughter, was gripping his leg tightly while Jack’s toddler Henry was reaching up for Tina. As they broke apart enough to look down, Tina rested her head against his. Newt smiled and looked around at his family. “I think we should go home, don’t you all?”

**********************************************************

Newt had their youngest grandchild in his arms while the kids all cooked dinner hours later. Tina smiled as she still held Remus. He was the only one with any slight memories of his grandfather, but the boy had only been one when Newt’s accident happened. They two had been inseparable up until that point though. Ellie had always told her father to stop making her son his mini me. Because that was her job. Instead Remus had taken to Newt and their daughter had to live with her son being obsessed with the creatures in his grandfather’s basement. 

But when the accident happened and Newt went away, her precious little grandson had become her constant companion. He wouldn’t let anyone else hold him when the whole family was gathered. Hell there had been nights Ellie and Lyall called her to their home to help get Remus to sleep. 

Now, despite initially wanting to see his Grandad again, Remus was still clinging to Tina. It was as if he was unwilling to accept he was back. A sentiment Tina herself shared. But slowly she and Remus crept into the brownstone’s living room and settled onto the couch beside Newt and baby Melody.

“Joe and Maddie did good with this one.” Newt whispered as she settled next to him. Tina just smiled. “And I heard she has the most beautiful middle name.”

Tina just wrinkled her nose at him. “We can stop pretending my first name is beautiful, Newt. We both know I hate it and I told Joe to not use it. Of course he decided to act like his sister and not listen.”

“Mama never listens to you, Nana.” Remus said with a smile laugh in his voice and Tina pinched his cheek.

“No, she doesn’t.” Tina smiled at her grandson while Newt let out a chuckle himself. 

“Hello, Rem.” Newt whispered and Remus turned to look in surprise. She’d noticed him do it more and more these last few years. It was as if he didn’t expect people to notice him. Didn’t expect acknowledgement despite the love he received from his parents and the rest of their family. Much like someone else in the room. 

“Hi.” The boy whispered and buried his head in Tina’s shoulder. Newt looked a little hurt, but Tina reached over and ran a hand through his slowly greying hair.

“He’s nervous, honey.” She whispered. “I think Remus, much like myself, feels as if you aren’t real.”

“I can promise you both I am very real.” Newt leaned across the space to kiss her then. Tina just smiled into the kiss. Before either of them could react a voice rang out from the doorway leading to the dining room. 

“Hey! You two! Don’t be doing that stuff in front of my child!” Ellie called. “It’s bad enough you scarred me for life when I walked in on you when I was a kid! Lyall and I don’t need you doing that to Remus!”

“No, that’s her job to scar him like that.” Joe quipped at his twin as he came into the room and took Melody out of Newt’s arms. Tina was resting her forehead against Newt’s as she watched him take a deep breath.

“Who’s idea was it to have children again?” He whispered, trying to pretend as if he couldn’t remember that.

“I know your memory is back so you remember damn well who brought this hellscape to us.” She muttered, pecking his lips. Tina heard Remus laugh at their antics as he crawled out of her lap and into Newt’s now empty one.

“Oh great! And now my child will only want his grandad again! First he takes up Lyall’s accent and now this!” Ellie was moaning as she went back to the kitchen. Tina heard their other children and in-laws laughing. There was a sound of small running feet in the hall behind them as Jack’s two sons Henry and Isaac as well as Joe’s oldest Hallie followed Joe upstairs to feed Melody. Meanwhile Artemis came toddling in the room and climbed up into Tina’s lap.

“It would seem both of Ellie’s children prefer us today.” Newt whispered with a smile. Tina just rolled her eyes and leaned against him.

They sat in silence, listening to the sounds of their family around them for several minutes before Remus spoke, “Grandad?”

“Yes, Rem?”

“What took so long for you to come home?” Remus’s tiny English accent he’d been picking up from his father came through on the question and Tina felt herself hold back tears. He asked the question she had been asking herself for four years. What was taking so long?

Newt let out a thoughtful breath before he started to tell the story. “Well, Rem, it all stems from this woman, this lovely woman that was helping me regain my memories. She only ever visited at night in my dreams and only during December. So while she’d regale me with these stories of my adventures and my family, it was only for a few weeks. Then she’d disappear for the rest of the year. As if to leave me to stew with only half remembered pieces of my life.” Tina’s breath caught. He’d had the dreams too. It hadn’t been her retelling their life together to dream Newt. It had been her helping him rediscover his memories via a shared bond.

“Was the woman nice?”

“Very.”

“Was she pretty?”

“Not as pretty as your Nan. Then, no one is as beautiful as your Nan.” Remus made an agreeing sound and Tina just rolled her eyes at them as she stood with Artemis held tightly in her arms. “Now where is your Nan going?” Newt shot her an amused look as he gathered Remus in his arms and stood himself.

“I’m going to help make sure my children don’t burn down my home while making your welcome back dinner, my love.”

“Oh no, no, no.” Newt said as he tilted her chin up to steal a kiss. “I know had memory problems, but one thing I can’t forget is how dreadful you are in the kitchen, darling. Why don’t we go down to the basement with these two for a bit and see how the creatures are resettling in?”

“Fine.” She whispered against his lips. Newt smiled and kissed her again. They informed the kids what they were doing and Ellie just asked that Artemis be kept away from the nifflers. Something about the girl already causing enough mischief, she didn’t need the resident basement troublemakers giving the two year old any ideas. Newt had ignored the instruction and gotten a baby niffler out for his namesake.

“Oh Ellie’s own nickname is niffler, love. It’ll be fine.” Newt had said as she watched Remus settle in with the crups. Tina felt Newt wrap his arms around her as they watched the young siblings sit amongst the creatures. “Thank you.”

She leaned back against him and felt him kiss her head. “For what?”

“For not giving up. For holding everyone together.”

“I think you’ll find they held me together.”

“Mmm, it was mutual I’m sure.” Tina just leaned her head back and rolled her eyes at him while he leaned down to kiss her. When they pulled away, he whispered one plea of gratitude. “And thank you for the memories.”

“I don’t know what you me-“

“You never said your name darling, but as soon as you told those stories last night I remembered who you were. I assume you were having the dreams too.”

“Every December night for the last four years.” She whispered, knowing lying wouldn’t help.

“Fate has a sick sense of humor.”

“It does.” She kissed him again before remembering what day it was. “Oh and Newt?”

“Yes, love.”

“Happy Anniversary.”

She saw him look at the calendar they’d sat on his desk earlier in the afternoon. He smiled as he discovered it was December 6th. The anniversary of the day they met. The day years later they decided to get married. “Happy Anniversary, Tina.”