Thorns and Roses ❦ Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them ❦ Newtina

Chapter Twenty Seven

It was Newt who saw it first. The flash of green from Rosier's wand, the impact of the light on a woman's body, her arms flinging outward as the frown disappeared from her face, her dazzling eyes losing the sparkle they once carried. It wasn't just any woman, no. He knew by the way it gracefully fell through the air, hair swaying as she dropped, her slender fingers loosening on her wand as the life was taken out of her, the person it was. The person Newt had gotten to know over the months, began to feel as if she was family. The person he knew whose death would destroy those around her. Newt watched as her body hit the ground, unable to make any sound to signify the events that had just played out in front of him. An ending to a story that wasn't quite finished... and never would finish. An ending to a life, a life filled with magic and wonder and curiosity; a love that would stay unrequited, forever. Dreams that once held the possibility of becoming true were diminished, just as the rosy colors she'd delicately applied to the apples of her cheeks. It was a tragic ending, though all things must die. It was the end of Queenie Goldstein.

The room seemed to shrink and grew still, the aftermath playing in slow motion. Newt looked to his side and saw Tina in combat with none other than Gellert Grindelwald, her face pressed together in concentration as a stream of white light flew from her wand. Grindelwald flicked his eyes to Rosier as her body twisted and contorted with an apparition, a final nod toward her master heralding what she'd done. He smiled wickedly and allowed himself to be overpowered. His hand shot up as his wand flew through the air.

Tina jumped in the air and grabbed it, turning to Newt with a triumphant smile on her face. A smile that faded as her eyes made their way to the blonde, still falling through the air as the curse wrecked its way through her body. Tina's face contorted into a horrified scream, the wands clutched in her hands nearly snapping at the force with which her palms closed. Grindelwald's fell from her hand, rolling down the steps Tina stood on. She began to run toward the witch's body, and Newt began his ascent up the stairs to Tina, to grab her, to stop her from reaching her sister. Tina was needed, and seeing her sister's broken body would destroy her. That, and Grindelwald's followers were falling back. Something was coming.

Tina hit Newt with full force, Newt grabbing her body and holding her against him as she fought back. "Let me go!" She screamed. "Let me go, Newt!" She scratched, kicked, and screamed against Newt, but he was too strong. He whispered soothing words into her ears, using an arm to shield her from view as two of Grindelwald's followers made their way to Queenie's body. "NO!" Tina screamed as she saw. "NO, LET ME GO! I CAN SAVE HER- I CAN... STOP THEM, SOMEONE STOP THEM!" Tina's voice nearly grew hoarse as she continued to scream and fight to no avail. She watched in terror as the two followers laughed at Queenie's body, one of them kicking her arm over her chest. They yelled something toward the two before they disapparated, but it was lost over the sound of Tina's screaming. Her entire body shook with sobs. "QUEENIE!" She wailed, her body crumpling in two over Newt's arms as she was wracked with sobs. She stopped fighting as she realized nothing was to be done about Queenie and turned into Newt, shaking uncontrollably as Newt wrapped her in a firm hug. He stroked her hair as he whispered to her, his words unintelligible over the brunette's sobs. "Newt," Tina said brokenly, and his heart shattered at the sound. "We have to fight. I can't... I need to..." Tina began to get up, but Newt held her in place. Tina was strong, so strong, and for that he loved her, but even he needed a moment to grieve as his own face contorted into sobs at the loss of Queenie. His breath hitched as he thought of Jacob back at the manor, eagerly waiting for the blonde's return...

"I love you," Newt said, his voice quivering. "I love you, Tina."

"Newt, please, we have to go," Tina said, though her face still rested on his shoulder.

There was a crack, and then the warmth of Newt's body was no longer enveloping her. Tina lifted her head slowly, then began to frantically look around the room, a terrified look in her eyes. Theseus ran toward her, a light glowing at the tip of his wand. When he saw the state Tina was in, he understood and began to fill with dread. She was yelling, screaming, for Newt. And he was nowhere to be found.