Salamanders and Porcupines

Chapter 4: Dear Newt

Newt and Leta are chatting outside the castle, books propped open in their laps when an owl flies towards them. It lands next to Newt, an envelope addressed to him in its beak. Leta perks up, intrigued, as Newt takes the envelope and turns it over in his hands, investigating it, quizzically.

"Thank you," he tells the bird and pets it gently, to which it hoots gratefully and flies up to the owlery in the castle where the rest of the owls reside. He watches it fly away for a moment.

"Who is it from?" Leta asks, voice etched with curiosity.

Newt shrugs and carefully reads it.

He immediately recognises his brother's neat and loopy handwriting.

Dear Newt,

I'm sorry I couldn't see you off at the station. They really needed me at the Ministry as we were in the middle of a major bust and I've been immensely busy, you see. I'm sure you understand. I'll be sure to make it up to you someday.

That being said, I wish you luck on your school-year and I hope you've settled in alright. Try not to get into too much trouble, will you? Wouldn't want to worry mum more than you have to.

I heard Hogwarts is hosting a few exchange students from Ilvermorny this year. I hope you can make some new friends. You need more friends than just Leta.

By the way, the hippogriffs miss you, and so do I. See you at Christmas!

- Theseus

Leta scoots over to him, peering over the piece of paper in Newt's hands. "Is it from Theseus?" she asks, expectantly.

The tone of her voice when she says his brother's name sends a twinge of annoyance to his chest, but he quickly brushes it off. Instead he shows her the letter, figuring it won't hurt to let her read it. It's not like he could make her like Theseus less anyway.

She sighs dreamily, her cheeks flushing slightly. "He mentioned me?"

Newt has to suppress the urge to roll his eyes.

Instead he thinks about what to write back to Theseus. He'll surely get worried if Newt doesn't respond, and likely a bit angry too. And even though Newt doesn't have the best relationship with his brother, like Tina and Queenie seem to have, he still loves his brother. And Theseus obviously loves him a lot too.

She hands him the letter back and grins. "You should write him back," she says, and Newt nods. He'll get to that soon enough.

Leta turns back to her textbook. "Now where were we? Professor Murray won't be happy if we don't do our homework, and I'm already on thin ice from last year."

Newt can't help but snort at that. He pockets the letter and looks back down at the book in his lap and continues reading what he was reading before the owl came with the letter.

- - -

Newt sits in the courtyard some time in the afternoon with parchment and a quill in front of him. Leta has potions and Newt has the rest of the day off so he figures it's a good time to write back to Theseus. A moment of quiet and fresh air.

There are surprisingly little people outside considering the warm temperature and cloudless sky. Not that he really minds. Newt is a person who quite enjoys some time to himself. He does however spot someone playing exploding snap a few meters away and a group of students chatting in the corner. They don't seem to notice he's even there. Newt finds he prefers it that way.

Newt stares down at the parchment in front of him, Theseus' letter laying next to him. He glances at the writing on the paper again.

"By the way, the hippogriffs miss you, and so do I."