Words

Leta continued to think about that evening at Flourish and Blotts. She thought about the look on Newt's face as he learned of the news and his completely unapproachable demeanor afterward (he didn't even bother to stick around and eat a piece of the celebratory cake she had baked him - something she tried not to focus on). She also thought about the man downstairs who was waiting for her to come back down and finish setting up the dinner table. She loved Theseus, she did, but not in the way that he did her, and she knew that deep down she might never be able to.

She then thought about what she should do. She could break off her engagement with Theseus and determine if Newt returned her feelings. One might believe it was rather odd that after his reaction to their engagement, Leta still doubted Newt's romantic feelings towards her. But Leta never had high self-esteem, and besides, even if Newt did share feelings for her, how could she know that they were strong enough for him to marry her in less than a year? They had been practically strangers for a decade. Marriage was a serious commitment, especially in a wizarding society with few citizens. Getting a divorce from a witch or wizard was very hard, more so when it was of a pure-blood family.

Leta also did not want to hurt Theseus. They had fun times together, and she really did care for him. It would break his heart if she were to leave him for Newt. Not only this, but the family dynamics would undoubtedly be disrupted. Newt, who had practically self-ostracized himself from his family years ago and was always seen as the lesser of the two brothers, had not been spared more than a cursory glance by his relatives despite his obvious discomfort at the news. It didn't help that, given Newt's quieter and meek personality, he also never outright complained about Theseus getting with Leta. But Leta knew it would be a completely different story if it were the other way around. Theseus was the golden boy and the apple of his parents' eye. He was a well-respected war hero, a man of the British Ministry of Magic, and someone who was not afraid to speak his mind. There would surely be hell to pay if Leta left Theseus. How could she do that to their family? How could she dare tear apart a familial bond and break down a man simply because of her mistake?

All her life, Leta had wanted to be seen and respected by her family. With her being the last remaining relative of the French branch of the Lestrange family and being named heiress, she finally thought she had the opportunity to prove herself to her distant relatives, who always seemed to look down on her just like her father had. But for what? To prove herself to people who didn't love her? It shouldn't have mattered to her now that she looked back on it. She should have just made her own way. She should have changed her last name from Lestrange to her mother's maiden name and started fresh. But no, she just had to accept the requirements for becoming the Lestrange heiress, and now she was backed into a corner. A corner that she had placed herself in.

After much musing, she decided that despite it breaking her heart, she would continue with the marriage to Theseus as planned so as not to disturb the peace. She hoped that Newt would come to forgive her and be able to find someone that he deserved.

Or at least, that was what she told herself until she was at the Scamander household several weeks later. Since their engagement, Leta had temporarily moved back to the property she had in Britain. Theseus only found this fitting since they would be wed within the year, and he still had a few things to arrange on his side of the marriage before they were to join as one. They planned to live in Britain until those things were completed, then they'd move back to France, where her Manor was. Leta had wanted to stay in France to keep working with the French Ministry, but Theseus thought it'd be good for them to be together and for her to become part of the "ministry family" which the Scamanders were known for. It was a simple switch; just as Theseus had come to the French Ministry to work with them as a delegate of the British Ministry, Leta was a French Ministry delegate sent to the British Ministry to help with their law enforcement.

They visited twice a week, usually for dinner. It was during one such evening that Leta came across the letter. It was in beautifully done writing, and the word 'Newt' was written in bold black ink on its front. The handwriting was unfamiliar, something that immediately stood out to her. Leta was not usually one for snooping around her friend's belongings; she had never done so before to Newt. But Newt, ever since the announcement, had been terribly withdrawn from them, even going so far as to skip dinner every night she and Theseus had visited. He'd also not spoken a word to her since. She simply wanted anything that could give her a clue about what he had been thinking since that day. Had he been writing to somebody else about his heartache? Or was there someone else he held interest in? Curiosity got the better of her, and when no one was looking, Leta slid the envelope into her robes, thankful for once that Newt was determined not to interact with her and Theseus. She went inside the loo and locked the door. She silently cast "lumos".

As the room illuminated with light, Leta's eyes hungrily began to read the letter.

 Dear Newt, I see that you still are not fond of Aurors. I don't know how many times I have to tell you that not all people working in magical law enforcement are the same. I myself am an example of this. I know you and I both got off on the wrong hand at first, but we ended up parting in very amicable ways, yes? And we've even continued corresponding since.

Leta paused her reading. She knitted her eyebrows together in confusion. Newt never talked about being close to someone other than his family, Dumbledore, and well...her. Not that they had been exchanging many letters as of late...

She continued.

 But I digress. Anyway, I have a question. Is it true that you are to be wed to Leta Lestrange? I read about this in the magazine "Spellbound". I wasn't sure, as I recalled that you and her were no longer particularly close the last time we spoke, and you always hesitate to talk about her. The whole article left me a bit puzzled as I thought...well, anyway, if this is true, then I suppose congratulations are in order. I look forward to your reply.

Yours truly,

Tina

So apparently, Newt had spoken to Tina about her. But it wasn't very positive...?

Leta let the hand with the letter drop to her side. She would have liked to say that her reaction was mature and that, instead of getting upset that Newt already seemed to have a female new lover best friend, she was happy for him, especially since she was engaged to his brother and Newt needed a new friend. But Leta was not mature, and despite her earlier musings, she realized that she did not want Newt to be with anyone else. Ever. She wanted to stop this - this whatever it was. And even more, she despised herself for wanting to stop it.