12 | and so it ends (one final goodbye)

When Dorothy felt like everything was over, more problems were added. But it was small, starting from one goodbye to another, and Dorothy hated them. Mostly because, when she was a child, she said goodbye to caregivers – the only people in her childhood that cared for her. Even saying goodbye to Richard, who was so cruel to her, was hard. He was her first friend, and he threw that away.

Dorothy was standing close to Newt, so close that they could be holding hands if one made the move. Tina was standing near her sister, who was hugging Jacob. And then, he moved forward to Newt.

"Hey...I figured somebody oughta keep an eye on this thing," Jacob said, handing the case back to Newt.

"Thank you," Newt said in a humble tone, and Dorothy had learned that he meant it completely.

And then, Madam Picquery started to give a speech, "We owe you an apology, Mr. Scamander. But the magical community is exposed! We cannot Obliviate an entire city."

There was a beat as everyone realized what had just happened. Dorothy didn't even think of the consequences as she was fighting for her life, but she didn't really have time to think.

And Dorothy followed the gaze of Newt, seeing bits of dark matter floating in the air – the remains of Credence. And eventually, it floated up in the air, until it was all gone.

Dorothy then looked at Newt, her eyes filling with sadness as his mind seemed to work. "Actually, I think we can," Newt told them, causing her eyebrows to furrow.

Newt opened his case, leading the Thunderbird out. Frank flapped his wings, and Dorothy realized what he was going to do. "No," she whispered tears brimming in her eyes, but she knew her sadness was only a fraction of what Newt felt.

Dorothy stepped forward slowly, making sure not to frighten Frank, but close enough to comfort Newt if she had to.

"I was intending to wait until we got to Arizona, but seems like now you are our only hope, Frank," Newt said to the creature with sadness.

Frank and Newt looked at each other, an understanding between them. Newt reached out as Frank pressed his beak lovingly into the embrace as they nuzzled each other. Dorothy only watched them with sadness as others stared in awe.

"I'll miss you too," Newt whispered, stepping back and into the arms of Dorothy, who was there to comfort him.

He took the flask of Swooping Evil venom from his pocket. "You know what you've got to do," he said to Frank, throwing up the vial in the air. Frank let out a cry, catching it in his beak before immediately sailing out of the subway and into the sky.

Dorothy watched as rain appeared, covering the people as they forgot and the Aurors rebuilt the city.

"They won't remember anything. That venom has incredibly powerful Obliviative properties," Newt told them, taking Dorothy's hand.

"We owe you a great debt, Mr. Scamander. Now – get that case out of New York," Madam Picquery said in an impressed tone.

"Yes, Madam President," Newt said, looking at Dorothy with a smile.

And then, Madam Picquery turned around again. Dorothy looked, noticing that Queenie stiffened.

"Is that No-Maj still here?" she asked, then noticing Jacob, "Obliviate him. There can be no exceptions." All of them looked at Jacob with sadness, something that Madam President noticed, "I'm sorry – but even one witness...you know the law. I'll let you say goodbye."

She left them as the others grouped together, heading up the stairs to the steps of the subway. Rain fell heavily as the streets were basically empty. Jacob goes to walk into the street, but Queenie pulled him back.

"Hey. Hey, this is for the best," Jacob said to them with tears in his eyes, "Yeah – I was – I was never even supposed to be here."

All of them look at him with sadness, Dorothy hugging Newt in a way to comfort herself.

"I was never supposed to know any of this. Everybody knows Newt only kept me around because – hey – Newt, why did you keep me around?" Jacob asked.

"Because I like you. Because you're my friend and I'll never forget how you helped me, Jacob," Newt answered, causing Dorothy to tear up more and tighten her grip on his arm.

"Oh," was all Jacob said as he was overcome with emotion, just looking at all the wizards, knowing that he was different, and because he was different, he would forget everything they had done together – everything they had accomplished.

Queenie then took a step closer, closing the space between her and him, "I'll come with you. We'll go somewhere – we'll go anywhere – see, I ain't never gonna find anyone like –"

"There's loads like me," Jacob said, trying not to cry as he stared at the girl he loved.

"No...no...there's only one like you," Queenie told him. The pain then was almost unbearable.

Overcome with sadness, Dorothy stepped forward, hugging Jacob tightly as she knew it was goodbye. She always hated goodbyes, always hating saying goodbye to people or things, and here she was saying goodbye to the greatest No-Maj she had ever met. One of the kindest people she had ever met.

"I gotta go," Jacob said after Dorothy let go of him. He turned around, ready to face the rain before Newt stopped him.

"Jacob!" Newt said, starting after him as he also caught a crying Dorothy.

Jacob tried to smile as he looked at his friends, "It's okay...it's okay...it's okay. It's just like waking up, right?"

They all smiled back at him sadly, trying to soothe the situation. Dorothy hung tightly to Newt as if letting go if him would cause her to collapse. She didn't want to say goodbye to him, the one who stayed by their side through all his confusion, who was okay to help them and was always there.

Looking at their faces one last time, Jacob turned around and walked outside to feel the rain on his face. He looked up at the sky as he allowed the rain to pour over him completely.

Queenie created an umbrella with her magic as she stepped out to meet Jacob. She brought them close, tenderly stroking his face as she placed a loving kiss on his lips.

Then, she pulled away, her gaze not leaving him for a second before she was gone, leaving Jacob. The other three stayed in the beginning of the subway as Dorothy watched the tenseness of Jacob's shoulders loosen before they weren't there anymore.

Finally, she saw him look up at the sky, eyes open, as confusion waved over him and there was a calmness to him. He turned around to look where they stood, but before his gaze could get to them, they Disapparated from there.

And, as they appeared in the Goldstein sister's apartment, Dorothy wept.

€

Dorothy and Newt walked together at the docks of New York with their hands locked and her head on Newt's arm. There was a smile on her face, only a few traces of sadness that were covered by happiness. Newt was finally going home, and that was one of the sad parts, but they had spent the last two days together with no running around, and that was the good part.

With the sight of his boat before them, the two of them stopped and stared at each other.

"Well, it's been..." Newt said, smiling as he looked into the eyes of Dorothy.

"Hasn't it!" Dorothy continued, and she could feel the awkwardness radiating off of them. She wouldn't trade it for the world, though. "Listen, Newt, I wanted to thank you."

"What on earth for?" Newt asked with genuine confusion. He hadn't a clue why Dorothy would thank her after everything he had done to her life.

"Well, without you, I wouldn't have met Jacob," there was a pang of sadness in both their eyes, "and I also wouldn't have met Pickett, or Frank, or figure out what a Niffler actually is. You introduced me to new places, Newt, and I will always treasure that."

"Well – I don't know what to say," Newt smiled, "except thank you for showing me what it's like to have a friend."

The two of them stared into each other's eyes again, adoring looks in them. There was an awkwardness with Newt's, but Dorothy loved it.

"What are you going to do now?" Dorothy asked him, hoping that one day they would meet again.

"Well, I think I'll live a quiet life from now on...back to the Ministry...deliver my manuscript," Newt explained.

"I'll look out for it," Dorothy chuckled, "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them."

Both of them chuckled a little as Dorothy tried not to cry again – she didn't need to. There was a horn blowing from the boat as Newt said, "I'll send you a copy of my book, if I may."

"I'd like that," Dorothy genuinely said, still smiling as she tried not to think of anything else.

There was an awkwardness between them again as Newt took one last look at her before going to board the boat. Dorothy looked at where he once was before Newt appeared again to meet her.

"I'm so sorry – how would you feel if I have you your copy in person?" Newt asked.

A large, pearly-white smile broke out onto to Dorothy's face again, "I'd like that – very much."

Then, he was gone again, only halfway up the ramp before Dorothy remembered something that she had forgotten from her childhood.

"Life is too short to dream, honey," the little phrase rang through her ears as she thought about how she would regret it for the rest of her life if she didn't do this. She would hate herself if she let a man like Newt Scamander walk away. So, before she could think any further, she was calling him back, a smile on her face as she saw him walk back.

Dorothy didn't say anything, and neither did Newt. They stared at each other before Dorothy leaned in, capturing her lips with his, molding them together before letting go of him.

As she let go, she whispered, "Goodbye," a smile on her face as she thought about the way his lips felt on hers. "Oh, and before I forget, if I ever found himself in London one day, where do you think I could you."

Newt only smiled at her, "I'll tell you an address when I give you the book."

And that was it. Newt walked aboard the boat as Dorothy smiled, walking back to the streets of New York and to Grive Street, where she had lived for ten years of her life, a smile on her face as she thought about how a tiny twist in fate could change her life forever.