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“Why isn’t there crying?”
The labor had been long, it had been hard, harder than it had with Theseus. Matters were worsened by the insistence of the new healer they were using to kick Ol out of the room. Now Nora lay on the bed, letting her mother and Athena trying wipe the sweat from her eyes only to not hear a cry.
She couldn’t go through this. Not after years and years of trying and trying and nine months of hell. This couldn’t be happening. “Why is my baby not crying?”
No one would answer her, the healers were gathered in a corner as her mother and mother-in-law tried to keep her on the bed. “Nora, Nora, darling, breathe.” Athena’s voice was soothing, but it was a command that came out.
But Nora couldn’t breathe as she frantically thrashed. “WHY ISN’T THE BABY CRYING?!”
“Little love,” her mother took her face in her hands, brow pressing to hers. “I need you to breathe, Nora.”
“Mum, I can’t, the baby, crying, can’t, I can’t do this to Ol. We’ve waited so long and-“
“Eleanor Marie, breathe.” As her mother got through to her, got her to gulp down air, a loud wailing entered the room. Nora let out a sob as she looked toward the healers. “See, everything is okay.”
“Yes, he’s alright.” The healer smiled softly. “A little fluid in his lungs, but nothing we couldn’t fix. Now we’ll let Mr. Scamander hold him-“
“Excuse me.” Athena was saying beside her, a hand rubbing on her back as her mother kissed her head. “Nora will hold the baby while I go get my son.”
“Ma’am, it’s our policy for the father to hold the babe fi-“
“Put my grandchild in my daughter-in-law’s arms before I lose my patience.” The healer just gulped, placing the baby in her arms before packing her things, keeping a wide berth from Athena. “I’ll go get Oliver.”
Her mother-in-law placed a kiss on her brow as Nora smiled up at her. When she was out of sight, her mother whispered, “I’m rather glad she’s on our side.”
“Me too.” Then her eyes focused on the little boy resting in her arms. He shifted toward her, whimpering softly as he tried to hide his face, causing Nora and her mother to laugh. “Now, now little one,” she murmured, one of her fingers coming up to trace his cheek. “Don’t hide from Mummy please.”
“He’s perfect, Nora.” Her mother said as she pressed a kiss to her head. “Absolutely perfect. Your little kneazle is going to be obsessed with him.”
Grinning widely at the thought of Theseus seeing his baby brother for the first time, Nora nodded in agreement. Just then the bedroom door opened and Oliver was standing there. Tears in his eyes, Theseus on his hip while his mother was grinning behind him. “Elle, you-“
“Everyone is here,” she whispered softly while her mother rose, waving for Ol to bring Theseus over and take her spot at Nora’s side. He hesitated of course. Because he’s Ol and of course he would. Until Theseus pointed and said ‘Mummy!’ That sparked Oliver into action. Instantly he was at her side, settling Theseus carefully at her side before pressing a happy kiss to her lips. “Hello, my love.”
“Hello, darling.” His smile brightened the room. As it turned on their newborn, Nora felt her heart warm tenfold. “And hello to our newest family member.”
“Ol, Thee, I’d like you to meet the newest Scamander boy.” Oliver’s tears fell a little as he continued to smile while Theseus frowned a little. “What’s wrong, Thee?”
“He’s a boy.”
“He is.”
“But Mummy, I wanted a baby sister.”
She could hear her mother and Athena cackling as they stepped into the hall to give them privacy. And while she was too dumbfounded to say anything, Oliver wasn’t. He quietly asked, “Are you upset you have a baby brother then, Thee?”
“Of course not.”
“Really?”
“No. He’s MY baby, Daddy. I just thought I wanted a sister. But I love my brother.” She didn’t really understand the five year old’s logic, but she saw the fascination in his eyes as he stared at the baby. So she knew her little boy wasn’t lying. “What’s his name, Mummy?”
Flashing Theseus a smile, she whispered, “Well, Daddy and I are still working on that. BUT we did want you to help pick out his middle name. So what do you-“
“Fido.”
Theseus answered before Nora even finished. She looked at Oliver who’s eyes were wide. His mouth agape as he looked at the boy between them. Finally she found her voice enough to ask. “What has that, Thee?”
“Fido. His name should be Fido.”
“Um, well, Mummy and I will think about that, kneazle,” Oliver said softly, lifting their son up. “But for now, why don’t you say goodbye to Mummy and your brother? I’ll come get you again in a bit, but the healers need to come check on Mummy again and I need to help her with the baby. So you’ll be with Nan and Granny. And I think Grandad should be here now too!”
“Okay!” Theseus offered a toothy grin as he twisted in Ol’s arms to give her a kiss. “Goodbye, Mummy! I love you!”
“I love you too, my little hippogriff tamer.”
Stealing another kiss, she smiled at her son before he expertly maneuvered to kiss the covered part of the baby’s head. “I love you, Fido.”
Well, she thought, baby will have Fido in his name somewhere. Purely because of how much Theseus loves it.
She knew it would be a strange name. But well, they were different and it was a name given to her baby by his brother out of love. Why? She had no clue. But Nora knew as she watched Oliver take Theseus out of the bedroom, the name Fido was one mentioned out of love. If she remembered right it meant faithful. And looking down at her newborn, she had a feeling he’d be a loyal man one day. So Fido would be perfect.
When healers stepped back in, quickly taking the baby before moving to examine her, she tried to come up with name ideas. Most of hers had been shot to hell. She’d been picking girl’s names just in case while Ol had been in charge of the boys. But he’d been blanking for weeks. So as he stepped inside the room alone, scooping their baby up from the healer with a smile, Nora asked, “Any idea for names?”
“Well, I was thinking-“
“I never like when you say it like that.”
“I know,” he murmured against her lips as he stole a kiss. Before he had a chance to say another word, the healers updated them on both her and the baby. They both were doing well, but they’d like to stay and monitor her more over the next few hours. Nora knew better than to argue so she nodded. Once they were out of the room, she looked at him expectantly. “Newton. For his first name.”
Looking down at the baby, Nora could see it. Just looking at him it was obvious he was a Newton. Or, well- “But we should call him Newt.”
“What do you-“
“Look at him,” she whispered, fingers tracing the baby’s body. “I agree on Newton after your father. But I just think he looks like Newt. Like a nickname suits him better.”
Oliver stared at their son for a minute before nodding. “You’re right.”
“I know.”
Her smirk earned her rolled eyes. Only for both of them to shift their attention back to the adorable baby. “Middle name?”
“It sounds like Fido will be in there.” Nora heard his snorted laugh and yet she knew he nodded. Then as she looked at her son a name called to her. “Artemis.”
“Like the goddess?”
“Yes, but let’s focus on it being the tie to the wilderness. He seems like he’ll have the job of watching over wildlife in a way like Artemis does,” she begrudgingly admitted. But she looked at Ol and he was smiling. “What?”
“Happy Birthday, Newton Artemis Fido Scamander.” Oliver whispered as he ran a reverent finger down Newt’s cheek. “Please don’t hate us for your name. Because I think it suits you, little love.”
Nora let out a watery laugh before grinning at her baby again. “Welcome to the world, Newt. Your father and I are so happy you’re here.”
**********************************************************
Happy Birthday, crup.
Dad and I miss you.
Love,
Mum
Newt traced his mother’s handwriting as he listened to the loud noises of the military camp around him. In the distance, he heard the grunts of the dragons he worked with as others tried to help calm them. But Newt’s focus was on the letters in front of him. He hadn’t opened the one from his father yet. Too terrified to see the words of his disappointment in the first letter Newt had received from him since sneaking off in the middle of the night to join the cause.
A body slumping down onto the bench beside him made Newt jerk up. His brother gave him a wicked grin as he held out a small parcel. “Happy Birthday, Fido!”
“Thanks, Thee.”
“How’s 19 feel?”
“Same as 18, Theseus.” Newt gave him a soft smile before looking back at that letter he hadn’t opened yet. He could feel his brother wanting to speak so Newt whispered, “I just don’t want to read how disappointed he is, Thee.”
“He’s not disappointed, Newt. In fact, this,” Theseus handed him the parcel. “Is from Dad. He said he didn’t think you’d accept it from him.”
Hesitantly, Newt opened the small package before he smiled at what he found. “He fixed it.”
“Of course he did, Newt. He knows how much you love it.” Theseus bumped his shoulder, pulling a cigarette out for each of them. Taking it and placing between his lips, Newt looked down at the pocket watch sitting in his hand. “I didn’t realize Grandad had hippogriffs engraved on it.”
“He didn’t,” Newt smiled, opening the letter from his father.
Happy Birthday, crup. I know we haven’t spoken recently, but I miss you and I hope you like the new addition to your grandfather’s watch.
I love you, Newt.
Dad
Newt traced the engraving and kept smiling. “Happy Birthday, Newt.” Theseus whispered again.
“Thanks, Thee.”
**********************************************************
Happy Birthday, Mr. Scamander.
I hope you have a wonderful day.
And as much as I appreciate your love of that article and its photo, I thought you might like another photo to carry.
Love,
Tina
Newt laughed lightly when he read her note. Tina had enclosed her most recent MACUSA portrait. Without hesitation, Newt made a copy of the magical photo before pinning one of the photos to the lid of his case. Then he grabbed the frame sitting on his desk and carefully placed the duplicate into the frame.
Then he delicately opened the parcel she’d sent with her letter. Inside was a copy of her friend Lally’s book with an inscription that said something about her friend was adamant that Tina get the book to Newt so she could have his opinion. Tina lamented she wasn’t sure why but hoped he enjoyed her friend’s annotations.
Setting the book to the side, Newt pulled a piece of paper in front of him with a smile. Before he could start writing, he felt a tug on his pant leg. Teddy the niffler looked up at him with as much of a grin as possible. Pickett sat on the top of the niffler’s head with Dougal right behind them. Dougal held out a flower with a smile. And Newt knew this was his creatures offering him birthday wishes for his 31st birthday.
“Thank you, Ted, Pick, Dougal.” He lifted Teddy into his lap, laughing to himself as Pickett darted up to nestle in his pocket. Dougal came to hang on his back while Newt set to writing back to Tina, thanking her for her letter and gifts before whispering to the creatures, “Would you like to sign your name to your favorite human?”
There was no hesitation as Teddy held out his paw and so did Dougal. Pickett chattered in excitement. The next thing he knew, Newt had a line of creatures from his menagerie coming to sign his response to Tina that made him pull out more sheets of parchment.
By the time it was all said and done, Newt had about 4 pages worth of a letter to send to Tina. Most of which were creature prints. All he could do was smile and think to himself that his birthday was shaping up to be a rather lovely day.
**********************************************************
“Happy birthday, Dad!”
Newt smiled softly at Stella as she slid onto the couch in his private quarters at Ilvermorny. Ellie, the twins, and his sons- and daughter-in-law were helping Tina divvy out cake to the various staff and faculty members who’d stopped to wish him well on his birthday, but his 18 and almost 16 year olds were sitting with him in the living space, wi he’d grins on their faces.
Ollie winked at him as he asked, “Did you get what you wished for, Dad?”
“All my children are in one place and so is my wife, Oliver. So yes.”
“Oh, come on, Dad!” Jack called as he slumped over to join them while Ellie waved him away, Parker rolling his eyes in amusement from just behind the older Scamander twin. “Us and Mom can’t be what you wished for! You already have us!”
Before Newt could open his mouth to protest, gentle hands slunk over his shoulders. He tilted his head up to find an amused Porpentina Scamander smiling at him. “Jack’s right, Mr. Scamander. So what did you wish for?”
“If I tell you, Tina love, it won’t come true.”
His wife knitted her brows while Ellie and Joe laughed as they joined their family. Lyall and Maddie watched their respective spouses with happy smiles as they gave out the last bit of cake and Newt realized all five of his children and his wife were expecting him to tell them his opinion of his birthday celebration.
So he shrugged, tugging Tina around to sit in his lap as he muttered, “While I didn’t need the presents you all got me, I appreciate the new journal and clothes and everything. So thank you. But as I said before, having you five and your mother and your significant others here, that’s all I can ask for.” Newt surveyed the room and realized he’d come a long, long way from those lonely birthdays at Hogwarts or while conducting research. “All I want is to be able to enjoy time with my family. So thank you all for being here.”
Ellie gave him a wide smile. “Of course, Dad. Nowhere else any of us would rather be.”
**********************************************************
“Newt, I don’t care if it’s your birthday! Rolf will be here any minute with twins!”
Sluggishly, Newton Artemis Fido Scamander descended the stairs of his childhood home. He wasn’t quite sure when he and Tina decided to spend more time in Dorset than in New York, but it was decided for his 102nd birthday, they’d be spending it in England. He was relatively confident it was so his wife could spend more time with their youngest grandchild, his wife, and their newborn twins. Not that he’d ever complain. The way Tina lit up a room when seeing any of their grandchildren or great grandchildren was the easiest way to convince Newt of any plan.
Though when he’d agreed for his grandson to visit with the twins on his birthday, he hadn’t expected it to be so hard to get up that morning or even to come downstairs in the home he’d inherited from his parents. Tina was at the bottom of the stairs, a knowing smirk prominent on her features. “I think you may be getting old, Mr. Scamander!”
“Ah, no, no, no, Miss Goldstein,” his wife laughed at his mention of her maiden name. Only for Newt to lean in and steal a kiss as he whispered, “I get younger with every passing year. At least in my heart.”
“I’m sure,” she murmured, allowing their lips to reconnect for one more kiss. In the sitting room, the floo roared to life, Rolf calling to them, but he and Tina were lost in the moment. Before they stepped away from each other, Tina whispered, “Happy Birthday, Mr. Scamander. I love you.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Scamander. I love you too.”