Chapter Text
“I can’t believe your biggest fear is working at an office.” She laughed, resting her head against the wall of Newt’s little hideout for his creatures.
“It’s just such a boring thing to do when you could be out looking out for all of these fantastic beasts.” He shrugged, bringing the baby phoenix up to his face and petting it slightly. “Just wait until this little one is all healed and grown up.”
“Are you going home for Christmas this year?” She smiled, watching the boy who was in awe of the tiny bird in his hands.
“No, I couldn’t leave this one all alone.” He set it back in its temporary home, finally looking at the girl who sat opposite him. “That and the parents have disappeared to go collect some new hippogriffs, Theseus is here too. He said something about wanting to talk to you earlier. I’m sure he’ll find you at some point, I wouldn’t go seeking him. That’s just me though, I know you get along with him-”
“Newton, you’re rambling again.”
“At least it’s not about animals this time.”
The girl rolled her eyes. “It was about your brother, that’s number two on your list of what you ramble about. Your brother is a brilliant boy, Newton. Top of his classes, heading to becoming an auror. Good looks yet not caring about relationships.”
“You’re just describing yourself now.” He mumbled under his breath.
The sounds of footsteps up the stairs caused her to stop talking and look towards the wooden entrance, oblivious to what the boy had just said. Newt was thankful for that, he didn’t mean to let that slip. He wasn’t one for relationships but he couldn’t deny that the girl sitting in front of him was fascinating, the only one who even came close was Leta Lestrange. (y/n) knew that and was fully aware of how they’d simply remain best friends as she wanted.
“I knew I’d find you up here.” Theseus stated. “Oh, (y/n) can I talk to you later?”
“What do you need Theseus?” Newt asked, clearly not in the mood for his brother today.
“First years have found their way into the kitchens and are toying with the house elves again.” Theseus didn’t need to finish his sentence before Newt was bolting down the stairs.
Newt smiled, that memory was something that stuck out to him and he didn’t know why. It wasn’t particularly good or bad. It was just a moment where all of them were together, even if it was only a few moments before he sprinted down the stairs. There were hundreds more moments like that, no matter how much he hated his brother sometimes they always had the best times in that three.
“Wow, Mrs Scamander, I now know where Newt gets it from.” (y/n) grinned, watching the lady feed the hippogriffs from her spot on the fence. “It’s quite amusing how he’s so good with them.”
“It’s a shame Theseus didn’t get the same love for magical creatures,” Newt added, petting his hippogriff as it leaned into his hand.
“I enjoy the study of spells rather than creatures, is that a problem?” Theseus raised an eyebrow, slightly tightening his grip on the fence next to (y/n).
“I just don’t see how you’d be willing to live your life out of the Ministry.”
“And I don’t see how you’d be willing to live your life getting attacked by beasts.” His knuckles were getting paler by the second, about to let go entirely and storm off.
“Theseus…” (y/n) touched his hand, keeping it still of the splintering wood. “Don’t have this argument again, Newt doesn’t mean any harm.”
“I’ve never seen a situation like this be diffused so quickly, please come back every holiday (y/n)” Mrs Scamander laughed, tossing one last apple to the hippogriffs and leaving the three to their own devices.
The second she was out of sight, the three of them left their positions, locking the enclosure and bounding down to the river next to the Scamander’s land. It was something they did. They raced to the river and the winner was owed a favour from the other to. Favours were beginning to become predictable. Newt was the most agile, normally winning the race and using his favours in pitiful attempts to get his brother to like creatures with (y/n)’s help in the set up of these schemes. On the other hand, Theseus normally used his favours to get Newt to do his chores and forgot to cash in his favours with (y/n).
Today was an odd day, (y/n) won. She had one only a few times before and her favours were completely unpredictable and came at random times. Once she waited until school started again and used Theseus to go and get her food at midnight. He then started sneaking the three of them food during his prefect shifts while simultaneously ensuring they didn’t get caught going to the room of requirement.
“Don’t worry boys, there are no favours today.” She smirked at their frightened faces. “Maybe midnight again… “
“If you make me do that again on a night where I am not on duty I will throw you into that river or the lake.” Theseus threatened, throwing newt a dirty look as he sniggered. “Just because your dormitories are right next to the kitchens.”
“I’d like to see you try.” (y/n) taunted, not prepared for the boy in question to pick her up over his shoulder and walk into the river.
He was lucky it was summer and his trousers were already rolled up due to the heat because otherwise, he’d be wearing soggy trousers. He proceeded to fake drop her, laughing at her squeal before she finally joined in laughing with the two boys.
It was a memory they all cherished and held close to their hearts. Especially now they all lived miles away from each other. Newt was going around the world researching his magical creatures, Theseus was stuck following orders of the ministry all the time while (y/n) was establishing an orphanage system for wizard children all across the world. It wasn’t until Newt had a particularly nasty incident involving him falling off of one of his creatures that they all reunited in not so happy times.
Theseus had walked into Newt’s bedroom, where the other two were already chatting, with bloodshot, teary eyes. He was quickly pulled in, the door shut behind him even though they were the only ones in the building. He joined (y/n) in sitting on the edge of Newt’s bed, although she was effectively just sitting on it entirely at this point.
“I picked him up from St Mungo’s this morning and got an earful from the nurses about how his niffler keeps stealing their watches.” (y/n) informed the new arrival cheerfully. “He should be fine in a few days, we just need to alternate shifts on watching him to make sure he doesn’t go look after those damn creatures.”
“My assistant will be here soon to do that,” Newt reassured halfheartedly.
“I hope she isn’t here soon because your brother here looks like he just had one hell of a row.” (y/n) ended up shuffling to the other side of the bed, pulling Theseus’ head onto her shoulder, gently rubbing his arm with one hand as she pried his fist open with the other. A diamond ring was settled in his palm, a line of half moons just above it. That’s when (y/n) started feeling her blouse getting wet. Newt for once in his life was affectionate and placed a reassuring hand on his brother’s arm, which with his current injuries was the most that he could do without being in pain.
“She left me.” Theseus spat. “She said that I was still in love with you and that it wouldn’t be good for either of us to do this.”
(y/n) was stunned. She didn’t realise Theseus liked her, let alone that Leta would leave him.
“What’s even worse is she’s been in love with Newt the whole time.”
“I’m so sorry, These.” (y/n) finally said as it was Newt’s turn to be shocked.
“Don’t be, It’s all true anyway, isn’t it. We were convinced you two liked each other so we used each other to move on. That was the only lie there.”
“We’ve never been anything more than best friends,” Newt said plainly.
“Never wanted to be.”
“Not since first year for me,” Newt added.
“Then I guess you never will be either” Theseus finished, a small glint in his eye as he dropped the ring into his pocket. “I can finally get my money back from this.”