Work Text:
1909
“Teenie, be careful please!”
“Yes, Mama!” Tina giggled as she flew her broom up a hair more.
“Oh, come on, Stell, it’s her birthday!” Her father had wrapped his arm around her mother while Queenie pointed up at her.
Her little sister crossed her arms and said, “I wanna turn!”
Without hesitation, Tina swooped back down, landing beside her sister and scooting up a little on the broom so there was room for her sister. There was a concerned gasp from their mother as she said, “Girls! There is not enough roo-”
The woman cut herself off as the broom extended itself just enough for Tina and Queenie to be able to sit comfortably together. “That should do it!”
Eight year old Tina turned to grin happily at Uncle Leo as she dropped the broom for a moment to hug him tightly. “Thanks Uncle Leo! This is the best birthday present!”
“Of course, Porcupine.” He squatted down, a soft smile on his face as he tucked her hair out of her eyes. “Happy Birthday, sweetie.”
“Thank you!”
“Tina,” her mother called a smile now gracing her face as she leaned into her father. “One more lap and then Grandpa should be here for dinner and cake.”
Nodding swiftly, she scampered over to her broom, six year old Queenie wrapped her arms around Tina’s waist with a happy cheer as they lifted off into the air. The lap wasn’t long, but that was more due to Queenie’s scared laughter that Tina hated hearing. Plus she saw their grandfather joining their parents on the roof and she swept back down. Both girls raced to him as Jackson Goldstein lifted them into his arms with a happy grin. “There are my girls! I believe today is someone’s birthday!” Tina raised her hand while Queenie pointed at her. “Ahh, yes, my little Tina! Happy Birthday, honey!”
“Thanks Grandpa!” She leaned into him as he laughed, letting her father take Queenie. Their little family headed inside then, talking amongst themselves while her mother carried her broom.
As soon as they were inside the apartment she, her sister, and her parents lived in, Tina was greeted by paper birds swooping to wish her a happy birthday. A trick she later learned her father had set up much to his mother’s dismay. But it kept the smile on her face as they gathered at the kitchen table. Dinner was filled with all her favorite foods before dessert where she was presented with a chocolate cake her mother had made.
“Alright Teenie,” her father called happily from his end of the table. “Make a wish.”
Looking around at the people in front of her, Tina shrugged for a minute. She didn’t have a specific wish in mind. But still, she sat up on her knees and closed her eyes, thinking hard for a minute before blowing out the candles. When she opened her eyes, everyone was clapping, her mother pressed a kiss to her head as she slipped the cake out from in front of her and stepped over to cut it. Queenie asked her innocently, “What did you wish for, Teenie?”
“Well, she can’t tell us, Queenie Pea.” Their uncle said in amusement. “Or it won’t come true.”
Tina nodded, but well, she kept her mouth shut. She just wished to remember this birthday, her best birthday it felt like, forever.
***********************************************
1918
“Alright, Porcupine, make a wish.”
Tina paused for a minute before taking a deep breath and releasing it. The flames in front of her flickered out as her uncle turned father pressed a kiss to her head. Queenie clapped and tugged the cake over to her with a promise to cut Tina the biggest piece ‘since it’s her birthday after all.’
Lally pushed her gift over with a grin while her father was rummaging around behind them. “Teen, open this one first!”
Taking the neatly wrapped present, Tina carefully tore the paper away to discover the book she’d been talking about nonstop that she’d borrowed from the school library, but wanted a copy of it for herself. It was a book about the various creatures that were important to Ilvermorny, a subject that wasn’t often taught to students, but something Tina had always felt drawn to though she was never sure why. Grinning at her best friend, Tina whispered, “Thanks, Lals!”
“Of course! I had to scour Boots for it, but it was 100% worth it!”
Squeezing her friend’s hand, Tina turned in surprise when she saw Queenie scooting a small present across the table. Her sister smiled softly and nodded. Carefully, lifting the box, she opened it to see a charcoal drawing of her in the middle of a quodpot game. When she looked at her little sister in surprise, Queenie only winked. “I told you I was paying attention during your games.”
Without thinking, Tina leaned over and hugged her tightly. The hug was a tight embrace that lasted a few minutes before a tap on her shoulder made her pull away. Pops was standing next to them with a shy look as he held a small bag out to her. When she opened it, Tina let out a surprised gasp. “Is this-”
“That was your mother’s locket.” Pops’s voice was filled with a quiet anguish that made her stand up and hug him. His arms were wrapped tightly around her as he held her and whispered, “She always wanted you to have it. I’m sorry it took so long for me to give it to you.”
“That’s okay.” She murmured before pulling away to slip the locket over her head. Her thumb ran across the familiar old metal she’d seen her mother wear countless times. The piece that she’d always promised would go to Tina one day and now on her seventeenth birthday it laid right where it belonged. There was an engraving on it. Just her mother’s initials of EG , but the sight made her smile. Even if Pops seemed to be tearing up more than she’d expect. Squeezing him again, she turned to her sister and her best friend with a wide grin. “Thank you. All of you. For making my seventeenth birthday one to remember. I love all three of you. More than all the stars.”
***********************************************
1928
“Tina?” She looked up in surprise at the knock on her desk. Newt stood there with a wry grin that made her leap up.
“Newt! What are you doing here?”
“I should be asking you the same question, love.” Her raised brow earned her a chuckle. It’s 5 o’clock on a Friday, Tina.”
Shrugging, she nodded to the mountain of paperwork on her desk. “I have a lot to get done.”
“So much to get done that you can’t leave?”
“Well,” she toyed with her hair that’s grown out, grinning up at him. “I might be persuaded to leave. At least for a bit. By a certain Englishman who still hasn’t answered my question.”
Chuckling, Newt grabbed her overcoat and nodded toward the door. “I’ll explain if you let me take you to dinner.”
Nodding, she rose, calling to Achilles that she was headed out for the night. Her partner nodded, ignoring Newt and his proximity to her and buried his nose in his reports. The man was still acting butt hurt about everything that had happened the year before between them, but as Newt slipped his hand in hers, she chose to ignore her old friend.
As they left the Woolworth, she let her head fall to his shoulder. Glancing at his other side, she noticed he didn’t have his case and Tina frowned slightly. “Newt, where’s your case?”
“In London.”
“Why?”
“Because I wanted you to have my undivided attention this weekend.”
“Why?”
He smiled at her in slight amusement as he pulled her into an alley. “Because it’s your birthday on Sunday.” Blinking rapidly, Tina did the math. It was her birthday that weekend. She’d been pushing herself so much to focus on finding Queenie these last few months, especially as the anniversary of Paris approached, everything else had slipped her mind. Newt seemed to know this as he tucked part of her hair behind her ear with a soft smile. “I thought we could spend the weekend together.”
“Oh, Newt, I wish I could, but I-”
“You should know it was Percival who helped me get clearance to visit. I am under orders that you celebrate your birthday. From him and your father. Who told me to tell you he’s still sorry he can’t be here.”
Pops was off on a research trip in Europe that he’d planned to have finished by her birthday, promising he’d be home to ensure they could celebrate together. She was sure part of that promise was to help ease the pain of Queenie not being present for her birthday celebration for the first time since the youngest Goldstein had been born. But Tina pushed that thought from her mind. Pops’s trip was being extended through the end of the month and he’d been writing to profusely apologize, but she’d told him it was okay. That she wasn’t really up for celebrating this year.
Only now Newt was smiling brightly at her. Clearly intent on being here to make her birthday great. So instead of telling him that she didn’t want to celebrate which she knew he was aware of, Tina just thanked whoever listened for the man in front of her. For his kindness and joy and his ability to make her broken world feel more whole.
Reaching up so that her hands cupped his face, she leaned up, pressing an easy kiss to his lips. The action was met with a happy hum from the man in front of her, who let his arms wrap around her waist and tugged her closer to him. When she pulled away, Tina realized her hands had moved into his hair, making it crazier than it already was. It made her smile, especially when she saw Newt’s lips had swollen a little from their kiss. His brows rose, confused by her amusement so she just whispered, “Why don’t we go back to my apartment and tomorrow night we can go out for dinner?”
*******************************************
As he sat the cake down in front of her, she couldn’t help but smile. Newt had gotten her a beautiful chocolate cake. Chocolate cake which just so happened to be her favorite. Even if she’d never told him that.
Grinning madly, she turned over her shoulder to tug him down, kissing him thoroughly. It made him a little dazed when they pulled apart which only furthered her amusement. “Make a wish, love.”
His words made her turn back to the cake in front of her. The twenty seven candles he’d placed around the circular dessert flickered away as she thought for a moment. Despite the disarray part of her life was in, Tina couldn’t think of a wish. Not one that would be beneficial to everyone at the moment. If she wished for Queenie to come home, there was still a lot of fallout that would come from it both for her and her sister’s relationship and for her sister with MACUSA. If she wished for Newt to be able to stay, well, then that might be rushing their relationship in a way that he might not be ready for. So honestly, Tina didn’t know what she wanted to wish for that night before her 27th birthday.
Closing her eyes, Tina took a deep breath and was surprised by the vision she saw. It was her and Newt surrounded by everyone they loved. Their friends, their family, and most importantly five little souls that were a perfect combination of them. She didn’t know if it was a vision of the future or what exactly it was, but she knew one thing. It was something she wanted in her life.
Taking another deep breath, Tina then leaned forward and blew out the candles with one thought: I wish for that vision to come true.
***********************************************
“I’m sorry I have to go, Tina.” Her thumbs brushed at his cheeks, memorizing his face as he pressed a kiss to her lips one more time. It had been an effort to make their way to MACUSA when he got that letter from Dumbledore asking for his help on something. Newt wouldn’t tell her what exactly the request was. All she knew was they had been cuddled up in her bed when the owl arrived and they’d had to cut her more private birthday celebration short.
Of course that hadn’t stopped them from having a quick and very risky goodbye in the alley outside of the Woolworth building. So that may not have been her proudest moment, but the way Newt had held her, the way they’d been pressed together made this goodbye a little easier.
“It’s okay, honey,” she finally forced herself to whisper, nipping at his lips once more. “Soon, we’ll make a plan to see each other again soon.”
“I promise the next time I can make the trip, I’ll bring the case so you can see everyone who misses you and I’ll stay longer.”
“I’m holding you to that, Mr. Scamander.”
He grinned at her use of his last name before pressing one last kiss to her lips. “Happy Birthday, love. I love you.”
“Thank you. For everything this weekend. I love you too.”
That was when they forced themselves to separate, Newt begrudgingly stepping into MACUSA’s international portkey office while she leaned against the pillar across the hall. He gave her one last love filled look before he slipped inside. Once the door closed behind him, Tina forced herself to push off the pillar and make her way upstairs. If she was there, she might as well do some work. As she stepped into the elevator a thought hit her.
When they’d, in the alley, they’d used? Of course. Neither of them was that reckless. Right? Right. Absolutely. They’d used protection. Of course they had.
Nine months later a little girl with her eyes and Newt’s hair that seemed to be the beginning of her 27th birthday wish being fulfilled begged to differ.
***********************************************
1946
Tina woke up to a head of curly brown hair in front of her. Blinking several times, she had to fight her laugh as her four year old gave her a very wide, toothy grin. “HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOMMY!”
“Thank you, Stella.” She whispered, moving her daughter off her chest to lay on top of Newt who let out a ‘umph’ at the sudden weight on his chest. Their youngest just poked Newt’s face while Tina grinned and eased out of bed. Eyeing the closed door, she decided to risk the question of “Stella, how did you get in Daddy and I’s room?”
“Jack let me in!”
“Why?”
“Because I’m the distraction!”
“I hate when one of them says that.” Newt muttered as he sat up, letting Stella sit in his lap as they both watched Tina creep towards the door. “That always means they are planning something.”
“Well, we have options,” Tina murmured while peaking her head out to see no one in the upstairs hallway. When she turned back to her husband and daughter, she saw Stella was sprawled on her side of the bed, crawling under the covers as if she were tired. Looking at the clock, Tina discovered it was early, like entirely too early for her baby to be up and waking her and Newt up. So she sighed, grabbing her housecoat with the intention of finding her oldests and reminding them that even if it was her birthday, getting up and disturbing their sister’s sleep habits to surprise her was not a good idea.
But Newt was taking her robe, laying it back over the chair in the corner of the room, hands rubbing up and down her arms as he pressed a kiss to her lips. “Rest. You took this week off so we all could have one last relaxing week together before the chaos of school. So please, love, rest. I’ll talk to the troops.”
“I can-”
“Tina, it’s your birthday. I can handle those three.”
Nodding, she leaned up, accepting one more kiss before he slipped from the room. Quickly, she moved back to bed, cuddling Estelle who was already half asleep. The next time she awoke, Stella was poking her cheek with a happy grin. “Mommy! You’re awake!”
“I am now,” leaning over she pressed a kiss to the girl’s cheek and earned a giggle. Content to take her time getting up and getting her and Stella ready, Tina was shifting in the bed when the door opened. Glancing at the intruders, she was pleasantly surprised to see Ollie sprinting over to the bed and climbing in. Tina scooted a little so she was in between her six year old and four year old only to have Ollie shove a present into her hands. “What’s this, crup?”
“Happy Birthday, Mommy!”
Smiling softly, she leaned over, pressing a kiss to his head before she opened the present. Inside was a photo from the vow renewal of all of them. It was when Newt had dragged the girls up to dance with him so she’d grabbed the boys. They’d ended up right next to each other and the whole family had practically just enclosed around each other to sway to whatever song had been playing. The photo had been snapped by Lally if she remembered right.
But that wasn’t why she was getting this as a present. The frame was why. All around the thick frame were the names of her children and husband with a space left open for her. Next to the names were thumb prints that made little hearts with the space that would be between her and Newt’s awaiting her thumb next to his to complete the motion.
Smiling brightly, she glanced up to see her three oldests in the doorway. Ellie was carrying some books that Tina was fairly confident were not from their home library. Joe had a vase of her favorite flowers. And Jack was holding a tray of what she could only assume was her breakfast. Her brows rose, but her children came stepping in. Jack sat breakfast down first, leaning over to kiss her cheek while Joe placed the flowers on her nightstand before leaning in himself. Ellie brought up the rear. She’d sat the books on the desk, clearly for her to inspect once she’d eaten before her oldest was climbing over Stella to give Tina a kiss to her cheek and murmured an apology to her little sister for landing on her a bit.Then she saw Newt leaning in the doorway with a proud smile. “You were in on this?”
“Stella almost blew the operation. She was supposed to wake me up first. Unfortunately, she was too excited and wanted to tell you ‘Happy Birthday’ before anyone else.” Glancing down at their youngest, she saw Stella’s proud expression as the girl leaned up to press a kiss to her lips that made Tina laugh a little while running a hand through the girl’s hair. Her attention returned to her husband who cleared his throat. “One, two, three.”
All five of her children began singing “Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday dear Mom, Happy Birthday to you.” Tina murmured a thank you to each of them, surprised when Ellie and the twins settled on the end of the bed.
Her oldest was sitting cross legged in the middle, while the boys sat with their upper bodies turned towards her. Normally this was when Ellie gave her the gift she’d organized from all five of the Scamander children, but today Joe was the one to speak. “So the photo was a joint effort from all of us, including Dad. But we know he will have a few other things for you so we decided to get you a few things too.”
This was when Ellie nodded at the books. “Those are the oldest copies of Little Women, Pride and Prejudice, and The Great Gatsby that Park could help me get my hands on.”
A little gasp escaped her, but Jack took over for his sister with a grin. “And we made breakfast, with very little help from Dad, I promise.”
Stella finished it off for her siblings with a happy, “And we wanted to take you to Coney Island, Mommy!”
Raising her brow at her oldest three, Ellie shrugged. “I’ve been working at the bakery all summer, Joe’s been working at St. Ruperts, and Jack’s been-”
“Running paper routes for The New York Ghost.”
This still didn’t explain why her children wanted to take her to Coney Island. “We thought we could treat you to a day at the boardwalk and visit one of the amusement parks if you want, Mom. But I know you said Grandma and Grandpa used to take you and Aunt Queenie when you were little. And I don’t know,” Ellie shrugged. “I think we all just thought after the last year this could be a new tradition or something. We could start doing something like this every year before everyone goes back to school. If you don’t want to go out to Coney Island, we totally understand and we are happy to-”
“I think a trip to Coney Island would be a perfect birthday present.” She said softly before nodding to Newt in the doorway. “But Dad and I will pay for everything.”
"Mother,” Ellie groaned.
Joe crossed his arms and murmured, “That defeats the purpose of us treating you to a day at Coney Island, Mom.”
“Well, I like to think of it as you all coming up with the idea that Dad is helping with by funding it. How’s that?”
Her children all begrudgingly nodded before telling her to dig into breakfast. As she did, they each went around, telling a favorite story about her which made Tina blush and hate the attention. But each story was something that was heartfelt. Ellie talked about the year before when they’d gone to get her school books and when they’d met Lyall for the first time. It was when they’d had a heart to heart about boys that Ellie kept to herself, but Tina knew why the story had been chosen. Then Jack was recounting some solo trip to the park they’d taken when he was young and refusing to listen to anyone, but her so they’d taken a long stroll through Central Park and he’d never felt more seen than when she’d talked to him so calmly that day. Joe talked about the year she agreed to be his Valentine over Newt’s because he’d been too shy to ask Maddie and had made his day very special. Ollie told his siblings about how she’d let him stay with her at the office a few times the year before when Theseus had brought Estelle home so Ollie felt like he ruled the world getting to be in Mommy’s Chief Auror Office. Stella seemed to struggle with the idea of a story so she just listed all the things she loved about her and Tina pressed a kiss to her youngest’s head in thanks.
“Well thank you all. That was all unnecessary, but it does make you feel a little good to hear you remember those stories too.”
Each of her kids grinned before looking at Newt with expectant smiles. “What about you, Dad? What’s your favorite Mom story?” Jack asked innocently.
Newt cocked his head for a moment before nodding to himself and stepping closer into the room. “My favorite story is when your mother told my cousins off for calling me Newton the first time she ever met them.” It earned a giggle from the room while Tina stared down at her breakfast. “If I hadn’t already known she was the woman for me before that, seeing her go toe to toe with the Scamander cousins without a second thought would have sealed the deal.”
Looking up at him, she mouthed I love you which was met with a wink before he was checking his watch. “Alright you five, if we want to get Mum’s adventurous birthday started, we need to get moving. So Ellie, help Stella get ready please. Jack and Joe-”
“We’ve got Ollie.”
Their five children scampered out of the room, yelling at each other to get out of the way as they raced to their rooms while Newt slid the tray off their bed. In amusement, she watched him as she whispered, “And what are you going to do, Mr. Scamander?”
Newt wore a devilish grin as he whispered, “I have the most important job. I have to help the birthday girl get ready.” She didn’t fight him as he pressed his lips to hers. Her hands rose to tangle in his hair as she enjoyed this private moment until there was yelling down the hall that had them pulling apart with a laugh. Newt didn’t let the sibling disagreement they needed to go mediate stop him from nipping at her lips one more time and whispering, “Happy Birthday, love.”
***********************************************
1969
Tina smiled as Walt handed the baby to Lyall. Her hands reached over to push Ellie’s hair back while her daughter’s eyes remained trained on her husband. The sight of the little baby in her son-in-law’s arms made Tina grin. Walt’s next words made her smile grow wider. “Well, Elle, Ly, Tina, Stella,” the healer smiled at her and Stella as they remained at Ellie’s side, just like her daughter had asked of them each time she’d had a child. “Baby Lupin is a girl. She officially entered the world at 12:07 AM August 19th, 1969.”
Ellie smiled brightly as she took her newborn daughter from her husband. “Happy Birthday, Mom.” Her daughter’s tired voice made Tina laugh a little as she leaned down to press a kiss to her head. Before she could offer to step out to give them a minute, Ellie was turning to Stella. “Stell, could you go send out word that the baby is here and let everyone know we are healthy and okay. That we can’t wait to see everyone after we’ve had a bit of time to ourselves?”
“Course, Elle.” Stella leaned over to kiss her sister’s cheek and smile at her new niece. “Oh, Artemis is not going to know what to make of you, sweetie.”
That was a fair assessment. Artemis Marie Lupin had been looking forward to the birth of her baby, as Mis like to refer to the baby, for far too long and Tina was confident that now that she was here, Artemis would freak out in the best possible way. Lyall and Ellie both seemed to agree with Stella’s comments because they both let out a quiet chuckle.
Once Stella had stepped out, Walt right behind her, Tina moved towards the door, intent on letting the parents have some time alone with their new baby. But Ellie’s quiet, “Mom, we actually wanted you to hold her first after us” stopped her. Turning, she saw her oldest having her back over as Lyall took the baby back. Her son-in-law moved around the bed to settle the newborn into her arms with a happy grin. Tina just merely looked at the two of them suspiciously.
“Alright, what are you two hiding?”
“Nothing. We just wanted you to get to hold your birthday buddy before anyone else.”
Rolling her eyes, she looked down at the baby in her arms. There was a tuft of dark hair poking out of the hat as the little girl squirmed, her mouth opening to cry out as Tina bounced her carefully. “Shhhh, shhhh, darling, none of that. I’m your Nan. Please don’t cry for Nan. Not on my birthday. Well, I guess it's our birthday now, sweetheart. And may I just say, you are the best birthday present I have ever gotten.”
“As a technical by-product of one of your birthday presents, I’m offended.”“Eleanor Ruth,” her voice was quietly harsh as she looked at her daughter. Ellie was smirking while Lyall rolled his eyes beore he stole a kiss from his wife, but Tina turned her attention back to her granddaughter. “Ignore your mother, sweetie. She’s, well, she’s a lot like me, but she shares way too much. Like just now.”
Ellie roared a laugh that had the baby crying a little so she quickly stopped and murmured, “I’m sorry, honey, Mommy didn’t mean to scare you.” Tina eased into the chair at Ellie’s side and helped up the girl for her daughter to see. Next to her Ellie was grinning as the baby settled, her hand reaching out to smooth the blanket as she asked, “Should we tell Nan your name?”
“Oh, honey, you can tell me with everyone-”
“No, no, this little niffler clearly wants you to know. Right, Ly?”
Lyall was still on the other side, now in a chair of his own with a wide grin. “Oh yes, Starlight, I think she wants her birthday buddy to know first.”
Rolling her eyes, Tina focused back on the baby in her arms as Ellie whispered, “Mom, I’d like you to meet Athena Esther Lupin.” The name made her eyes fly up to meet her daughter’s. Ellie was smiling softly while she explained, “It came to us a while ago. As long as you are okay with it and Dad too, we’d really like to name her after Thena, Great Nan, and you.”“Ellie, sweetie, I-”
“Mom, if you don’t want us-”“I think that little Thena, here,” Tina whispered as she looked back at her granddaughter and knew the name was perfect. “I think her name is perfect. So will Dad.”
“You aren’t mad we didn’t tell you?”
“Honey,” Tina moved so she could settle the baby back into Ellie’s arms. “You just blessed me with my seven grandchild on my 68th birthday and want to honor your little sister by bestowing your daughter with her name. No, I am not mad.”
“I know you technically gave Thena your middle name too, but Athena here, her middle name isn’t just to honor her aunt or Gram. It is to honor you, Mom. Because you are the strongest person I know and I want my little girl to know that.”
Crying a little, Tina pressed a kiss to Ellie’s forehead, whispering how Ellie was one of the strongest people she knew and she wished she had half of Ellie’s strength. Her daughter scoffed and before they could argue, Athena let out a cry, most likely because she was hungry so they let Lyall sweep the girl up, already moving to the door to call for a healer’s assistance for getting them formula. Tina rested her head against Ellie’s and smiled as she watched the scene in front of her before whispering, “Thank you. For one of the greatest birthday presents of my life, Elle Belle.”
“Thank you, Mom. For being born.” Tina laughed a little as Ellie kissed her cheek. “Happy Birthday, Mama.”