The Ministry ball was still in full swing—the Hogsmeade orchestra could be heard from where we were, tucked away in an alcove and perched on a window seat. Maybe later I could rejoin the festivities.
For now, I was happy to be between my favorite people, Newt and Theseus Scamander.
(At least, most of the time they were my favorite.)
Theseus was still morosely staring at his glass of fire whisky, and I had long since learned from him that he would talk when he was ready. In the meantime, Newt and I had to commiserate on Ministry policies.
“—as I was saying, the Ministry’s policies are stupid. First of all—first of all, there needs to be more oversight in our child welfare department. There rules are quiet frankly archaic. And—“
“I think I need to break up with Leta.” Theseus didn’t even look up, just sighed dramatically
I rolled my eyes. “Well, of course you have to break up with Leta. As I was saying—“
“It’s just, she’s pulling away from me. I don’t think she loves me, not really. And—wait, what do you mean of course I should break up with Leta?”
Newt groaned, his head falling into his hands.
He may have heard me rant on the subject a few times.
“Well, first of all, you should never have been with her in the first place. Honestly, Leta of all people? She broke Newt’s heart, and got him expelled. He almost lost his wand because of it! If it wasn’t for Dumbledore…”
“And you,” Newt interrupted.
“And not me, because there is no way you can prove my involvement whatsoever. Seriously, Theseus. You betrayed Newt by dating her.”
“I did not! And besides, I thought we were past all that business with Newt’s expulsion. Remember, we decided to forgive her?”
“Yeah,” Newt said, “we forgave her!”
“Newt, what have I told you about forgiveness? We forgive those who’ve wronged us, and our family hates them forever. We’re family,” I said, pointing between myself and Theseus. “Or at least I am. Theseus was disowned when he started dating Leta.”
“Hey!”
“Well , it’s true! There was a meeting and everything.”
“Well, since you clearly feel so strongly about this, why didn’t you say something sooner?” Theseus replied, glaring at me for emphasis. As if that ever stopped me.
“I did! I believe my exact words were, you should have no contact with Leta Lestrange who is banned from the Scamander and Bartlett household for all of eternity. Amen.”
“She was my secretary. I couldn’t exactly cut off all contact. And she was…she was sweet. And wonderful. And…”
“And she experimented on a jarvey which seriously injured a student, and then let Newt take the fall instead of taking responsibility for her own actions.”
“Which was my choice, Chrissy. You know her father would have disowned her!” Newt cut in.
I sighed. That I could concede. “Which is why our child welfare policies are outdated! But that still doesn’t mean what she did wasn’t wrong.”
“Can we please get back on track!” Theseus spat out. “I’m pouring my heart out, which is clearly a waste of time seeing as how you hate me so much.”
“I don’t hate you, I’m just very disappointed in you.”
“I thought you were the one who said that we forgive those who’ve wronged us, but our family hates them forever?” Newt said, with that innocent face he had perfected over the many years he had spent breaking the rules.
“Aha! So you admit Theseus wronged you!”
His quiet spoke for itself.
Theseus looked down at his hands, his cheeks colored pink. “Newt—I didn’t know you felt that way.”
“I didn’t. I mean, I didn’t think so. I just want you to be happy, Theseus.”
“You know I want you to be happy too,” Theseus said quietly. He laughed bitterly. “I guess I was a bit blinded by my love for her. I was selfish.”
I could have sighed out of relief. Finally, the two of them got it. It had only taken a year. But I let them keep their silence. They needed it to sort themselves out.
“So I’m breaking up with Leta.”
“Thee, don’t do it because of me.”
“It’s sickening how selfless you are. But like I said, we lost whatever we had a long time ago anyway.” Theseus looked up at me, going all soft in that way that made me give in. He and Newt had that in common, the scoundrels. “I guess I needed to hear that, Chrissy.”
“Yes, you did. Now, breaking up with Leta. Do you want me to do it or…?”
“What? No, of course not! Look, regardless of what she’s done in the past, she deserves for me to be straightforward with her.” He peered past me, fixing Newt with a pleading glance. “You’ll distract her, won’t you?”
Newt smirked. “Come on Chrissy. Didn’t you want to speak to the Minister?”
“Of course!” I huffed out. “He’s considering signing the new association legislation into place! An absolutely travesty against freedom of association. The United States had it right with the Bill of Rights, you know. And he still hasn’t taken a look at my proposal on that, I’ll wager.” I did notice the look that passed between Newt and Theseus, but really, I did need to mingle, and Theseus was a big boy who could handle a breakup. We could break out the quart of chocolate frog ice cream later and watch whatever chick flick Theseus wanted to.
And if he didn’t actually break up with her, that would simply have to be dealt with at a later time