All across England, by magic and non-magic folk alike, the Christmas of 1927 would be remembered as a white one. A blizzard swept across the island on Christmas Day, making it a truly white holiday.

Newt and Tina had awoken together and shared a kiss as they watched the snow fall for a while before getting up. Once they had gotten dressed, each had left the flat and gone upstairs. Tina went to the second floor to see Jacob, and Newt went to the third floor to see Theseus.

When each opened their front doors, they were greeted with no words but a big hug – a truly significant gesture that expressed all of the gratitude and love in the world.

A few days later found the city of London still covered in a blanket of white, with snow drifts reaching dangerous levels sometimes.

The 'Fantastic Beasts Family,' as Jacob penned them, were having supper in Newt's flat, as was their habit. Yusuf and Nagini sat beside each other, speaking in low voices as they often did. They had formed a bond since Paris that couldn't be clearly defined, but it was definitely there, and the other four knew the best thing to do was to leave it be and let it grow. Theseus and Tina were discussing the current case that Theseus's team were working on, and that Tina would help with when she officially joined his team in a few days' time. Newt was outlining a picture of a kelpie to Jacob, who wanted to make a pastry of one and needed a better idea of the creature's build (since only Newt could get a clear look at the one in the basement).

Need it be said that Newt and Tina sat beside each other? No, it needn't.

The tranquil scene was interrupted by a tap on the kitchen window. That could only mean one thing: an owl had arrived. Tina got up from the table in order to let the poor bird in (it was still like the Arctic out there).

"A bit early for the evening Prophet," said Theseus. "Perhaps they're erring on the side of caution, considering this weather."

But when the owl eagerly hopped inside and out of the blizzard, everyone saw that the owl wasn't carrying a newspaper but a rolled-up envelope. Tina carefully untied it while Newt levitated a plate of tenderloin scraps towards the exhausted bird. As the delivery owl eagerly ate, Tina unrolled the envelope to discover that there were two instead of one, each bearing an official seal.

She froze, and her entire face turned white as her lips pressed together. Newt, who had been watching her, immediately rose from his seat. "Tina?"

Tina swallowed audibly before she spoke, her eyes not leaving the envelopes in her hand. "They're from MACUSA…"

As Theseus and Yusuf stood up from their own seats, as if ready to defend Tina from an oncoming attack, Newt immediately moved to her side, as if ready to fight anything about to take his love away from him. Nagini and Jacob remained sitting, but they looked no less scared of what might be coming.

Tina, looking at the two envelopes, went from frightened to confused. "One of them is addressed to you," she said, handing one envelope to Newt.

The magizoologist took it, noting that his envelope was slightly bigger and seemed of a higher-quality stationary than Tina's. He held off opening it when he saw that Tina had begun to open hers, a steely look on her face as if preparing herself for a blow. Newt rested his hand on the small of her back; he felt her ramrod-stiff posture relax slightly with his touch.

When she pulled out the letter inside the envelope and unfolded it, Tina gulped. "I recognize President Picquery's handwriting."

Both Theseus and Yusuf took a step towards the pair, and Newt's hand moved across her back so it could rest on the curve of her waist, pulling her closer to him as she began to read the letter aloud:

Dear Miss Goldstein,

I wanted to enclose a note along with something that Mr. Scamander should be the first to see, as it was him who is responsible for it.

Thank you for your help in bringing down the most dangerous smuggler and conman our community has seen in this century. That being said, I know that I gave you no choice in the matter. While I cannot say that I regret that, as you were an invaluable asset in this case, I do regret the way that it came about. I said some words to you that I will always regret, especially concerning your sister.

I hope that you can walk away from MACUSA with more good memories than bad, and I hope that the Ministry of Magic realizes what a great auror is joining them.

Sincerely,

Seraphina Picquery

A moment of silent relief followed after Tina finished reading the letter aloud. "We do know, Tina," said Theseus.

Tina gave him a small smile of thanks before frowning at the letter. Eventually, she breathed out through her nose and put the letter back into its envelope. "She's sorry and not sorry, and she couldn't even say this to my face…" She then crumpled up the envelope and tossed it into the fire. She turned to Newt with a resolute look on her face. "Too little, too late."

Newt nodded, rubbing her waist with his thumb. If it were up to him, Tina's former boss would have faced a far harsher punishment than having her written words burned for the way she'd kept Tina away from home for that long. But what mattered to him the most was that Tina was free of it now, and was home with him where she belonged.

The auror had now turned her attention to his own envelope, which he'd forgotten about as Tina had read her letter. "Open that up," she said. "Let's see what yours says. Because if this is an attempt to get you to leave…" Tina clenched her jaw, shook her head very slowly, and watched the crumpled letter disintegrate in the fireplace. In that way, she finished her threat without words.

Newt reluctantly withdrew his arm from around her in order to open his far more official looking envelope. Theseus and Yusuf remained standing, not having any idea what to expect from this other envelope.

Newt pulled out a fine sheet of parchment, unfolded it, and held it between himself and Tina so that they could read it together. Unlike Tina, he did not read it aloud, and it soon became apparent to the other four in the room why. As he read what was printed on the paper, his expression went from cautiously guarded to overwhelmed with emotion. Tina's face went through a similar transformation, ending with her covering her smile with her fingers.

"What is it? Good news, I hope?" Jacob's words were clumsy in the tense atmosphere, but the suspense was getting to him.

Tina looked at him and could only nod.

Newt, after what seemed like an eternity, looked up from the paper and met Tina's eyes. She could only look back at him. Both had tears in their eyes, but their gazes seemed to hold a conversation only they could understand. Eventually, it was Newt who broke it and, holding the paper to his chest, walked across the room and disappeared into his basement.

Once the door had closed behind him, Theseus turned to Tina. "What's going on? What did he get?"

Tina took a deep breath and wiped her eyes before she spoke in a very proud voice. "It was a copy of a new law that was put into effect all across America the day after Christmas…A Protective Order on Thunderbirds."

Jacob was the first to react; he stood up from the table with a huge smile on his face. "That's fantastic!" he exclaimed, and he pulled Tina into a hug. Theseus and Yusuf sat back down, relieved and very pleased; Nagini clapped her hands together joyously. The three of them had been told the entire story of Newt's time in New York, and it wasn't long at all for them to understand the significance of what this would mean to the other three.

When Jacob released Tina, he said, "You should go to him."

Even though the two of them had come to a new understanding about their relationship since that magical Christmas Eve night, Tina was far from confident about what to do in certain situations. "Maybe he left because he wants to be alone…"

"No, Tina," said Theseus firmly. "My brother has been alone for too long, and he deserves to finally share his accomplishments and happiness with someone." He then nodded authoritatively towards the basement door. Nagini seconded this motion with an encouraging smile, and Yusuf gave his own enigmatic grin.

Tina gave a shy but thankful smile to all of them before walking across the room and into the basement.

It turned out that Newt wasn't in the basement – he had gone down into his case. Tina had discovered this when she saw it open on a work-table near the Niffler habitat. After giving a shiny Knut to each of the babies and a Sickle to their papa, Tina turned away from the adorable devils and turned to the case.

Her picture, the same newsprint picture that Newt had showed her in Paris, was attached to the inner lid of the case. The picture smiled at her and then pointed downward, towards the inside of the case. Tina had to chuckle; she knew better than to go against herself.

She climbed down into the world in which she began to fall in love with Newt, and shut the lid behind her. Descending the rickety ladder, she left the shed and found him very quickly.

Newt was sitting on the large, flat rock in the enclosure that he had made for Frank, the Thunderbird that he'd rescued and brought back home. The light in the enclosure was rich with the tones of sunrise (he'd enchanted the enclosure to go by Arizona time in order to acclimatize Frank before releasing him). He sat with his legs crossed, hunched over the document folded open in his hands.

Tina knew that, in this situation, she had to follow her instincts rather than her logic. So, she walked into the enclosure and stood directly in front of him. When he looked up at her, she saw the tears on his cheeks, and knew that they were of joy.

Smiling softly, she pointed at the document. "You know, that's only the beginning. Your book is just as popular in the States as it is here, so this will have a domino effect. I wouldn't be surprised if this order of protection extends to all magical creatures in America. And hopefully, someday, you'll be able to include American creatures in an edition of your book."

Newt listened, was silent for a moment, and then set aside the precious document. He then reached out and took Tina's hands in his. Gently, he guided her to his side, and she sat beside him on the rock. She lifted a hand and wiped the tears from his cheeks. He nuzzled against her palm like a cat, and it made her giggle.

His blue eyes caught her brown ones, and his expression became even more joyful, if that were possible. "You're happy, too," he said in an awed tone. "As happy as I am."

Tina nodded, lowering her hand from his face but holding his gaze with her salamander eyes. "Our world, our lives…so much is so dark right now, and the future…who knows what it could hold? But the fact that something like this, something so good and right, can happen even with so much darkness and sadness…there is still hope, you know?"

Newt nodded, looking down at their joined hands. Then he laughed softly to himself.

"What?" asked Tina, a smile in her voice.

"I always knew that I would consider my book to be a success not if it sold as well as it did, but if it could help at least one, even just one, person to see these beasts and creatures the way that I do. To take away the blinders from one person…" He raised his gaze to the collar of her blouse. "When I first met you, Tina, you assumed that my book would be an extermination guide. You were completely ignorant about these creatures, and always had been. And now look at you…this new law makes you just as happy as me, because you know that it is right."

Tina smiled, new tears filling her eyes as she pressed her forehead against his. This and how she tightened the grip of his hands told him that what she was about to say was important. And it was.

"Yes, Newt. You did that. My views, so many's views, this law…look at all of the good you've done, that you and your book will continue to do, and don't ever forget it. I can only hope that I can do half as much good in my lifetime."

Now it was Newt's turn to cup her face and fix her with a powerful gaze. "I know that you will, Tina," he said, his voice rich and deep. "Because you are…you are the strongest, bravest, and wonderful person that I know…and just thinking about you fills me with hope, let alone being with you."

Overwhelmed, Tina shut her eyes and tears spilled down her cheeks. Instead of wiping them away, Newt kissed them away gently. When Tina opened her eyes again, she allowed herself to be completely vulnerable by uttering three words softly:

"I love you."

His heart would have exploded out of his chest if that were possible, and his reply fell effortlessly from his lips:

"And I love you."

Newt caught sight of Tina's joyous grin before she grabbed his collar and pulled him in for a kiss. He responded with his whole heart, wrapping his arms around her tightly; no way was he letting her go.

As a thrill of hope surged through the two lovers, and their weary world rejoiced, yonder broke a new and glorious morn in Frank's enclosure.

THE END