Tina Goldstein worked for the Magical Congress of the United States of America (MACUSA) which was the equivalent of the British Ministry of Magic in the USA. She first appears in the Harry Potter series in the extended spin-off Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. She catches Newt Scamander, the famous Magizoologist who had accidentally opened a briefcase containing several magical beasts and set some of them free in New York when he arrived. She eventually befriends him, and a No-Maj (Muggle) named Jacob Kowalski. Tina Goldstein played a crucial role in the nabbing of the Dark Wizard Gellert Grindelwald during the time of Minister Seraphina Picquery.
Tina lived with her younger sister Queenie Goldstein in New York. Her sister Queenie behaved like an elder sister constantly taking care of her and reminding her not to be overwhelmed by her job as an Auror at the MACUSA.
Early Life
Porpentina Esther Goldstein was born on 19 August 1901 in the United States of America into the Jewish Goldstein family. She had a younger sister named Queenie Goldstein who was a Legilimens by birth. They lost both their parents very early due to dragon pox and therefore had to take care of each other. After she turned eleven years old, Queenie joined Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where she was sorted into the Thunderbird house. Her younger sister Queenie too, joined Ilvermorny soon after. Tina Goldstein became best friends with Eulalie Hicks, a student of Ilvermorny who would later go on to become a renowned professor and help Albus Dumbledore and Newt Scamander to outwit Gellert Grindelwald.
Tina and the MACUSA
After graduating from Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Tina became an Auror at the MACUSA. However, her time as an Auror in MACUSA was short-lived, as she was quickly demoted to the job of a Federal Wand Permit Officer after she was accused of assaulting a No-Maj. This No-Maj was none other than Mary Lou Barebone, the adoptive mother of Credence Barebone, who would later be revealed to be Aurelius Dumbledore, the son of Aberforth Dumbledore. Tina used magic and attacked Mary after she realized that she was assaulting and beating up Credence regularly. However, this was taken poorly by the MACUSA, and they immediately demoted her to the post of a Federal Wand Permit Officer.
Appearance in the Harry Potter Universe
Tina Scamander first appears in the first movie of the Harry Potter spinoff movie series Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Tina Scamander is played by British-American actress Katherine Waterston. It is established that she is an American Half-blood witch. It was later revealed by J K Rowling that Tina was from a Jewish family. She is one of the only witches in the wizarding world known to be Jewish.
She is first seen in the Anti-Witchcraft Protest taking place at the entrance of the Steen National Bank in New York City headed by Mary Lou Barebone. She then sees Newt Scamander coming out of the bank with Jacob Kowalski. After Jacob escapes, Tina and Newt track down his address when they realize that the suitcases of Newt and Jacob have been exchanged. Newt Scamander is played by British actor Eddie Redmayne, and Jacob Kowalski is played by Dan Fogler.
Tina then takes both Newt and Jacob to her house, where they meet Queenie Goldstein, Tina’s sister. Queenie is played by Alison Sudol. Later in the day, Newt and Jacob disappear and are eventually found at the Central Park Zoo. Tina traps them in the suitcase and takes them to the MACUSA, only to eventually be sentenced to death by Deputy Officer Percival Graves, who is eventually revealed to be Gellert Grindelwald in disguise.
Newt and Tina escape the death sentence after Newt miraculously rescues Tina, and they eventually manage to escape the MACUSA premises with the help of Queenie. Furthermore, Gellert Grindelwald is caught and arrested, and President Seraphina Picquery realizes that blaming Newt for the death of Senator Henry Shaw Jr was a mistake as the Obscurial was responsible for that. Credence Barebone, an orphan and the adopted son of Mary Lou Barebone, whom Tina had previously attacked, is revealed to be the Obscurial.
In Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, Tina misunderstands a newspaper report about the upcoming wedding of Mr Scamander and Leta Lestrange. She assumes that Newt and Leta Lestrange are getting married, even though it is actually Newt’s brother Theseus Scamander who is getting married to Leta. Tina starts dating a fellow Auror named Achilles Tolliver.
However, Tina’s absence in the third film Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore was because she was very busy working as the Head of the Auror Office in MACUSA. She is shown for a brief period during the walk of the Qilin. She also attends her sister Queenie and Jacob’s wedding, where she meets Newt.
Newt and Tina would eventually get married and stay together in Dorset, United Kingdom. Their grandson Rolf Scamander married Luna Lovegood, Harry Potter’s friend and a member of the Dumbledore’s Army. She had two great-grandsons named Lorcan and Lysander.
The Salem Witch Trials
The New Salem Philanthropic Society was a 20th-century version of the witch trials that were held in Salem, Colonial Massachusetts, in the 17th century. The New Salem Philanthropic Society was headed by Mary Lou Barebone, who was attacked by Tina Goldstein for abusing Credence Barebone. The Salem Witch Trials have, over the years, been condemned by almost everyone for being one of the most misguided and worst events and an example of religious extremism. It was partially fuelled by several similar witch hunts and witch trials that occurred in the continent of Europe.
Tina Goldstein tried to stop the possibility of such an event happening in the 20th century by keeping a close watch on the activities of the New Salem Philanthropic Society and Mary Lou Barebone.
FAQs
Why was Tina Goldstein demoted?
Tina Goldstein used to work as an Auror for the MACUSA. However, she was demoted from the post of an Auror to a Wand Permit Officer after she attacked Mary Lou Barebone for hurting and abusing her adopted son Credence Barebone. Tina attacked Mary Lou Barebone with due cause, but the MACUSA demoted her because the Statute of Secrecy was thoroughly compromised when Tina revealed her magic to the No-Majs.
Is Tina not in Secrets of Dumbledore?
Tina Goldstein has a very small role in Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore. She is not present through most of the events that occur in the movie and only makes two brief appearances, first, during the walk of the Qilin, and second, during the wedding of her sister Queenie and Jacob. Tina is very busy as she is appointed as the Head of the Auror Office in MACUSA.
Can Tina Goldstein read minds?
No, Tina Goldstein cannot read minds as she is not a Legilimens. However, her sister Queenie Goldstein is a gifted Legilimens born with the skill and is therefore capable of reading the minds of other people. While this skill can sometimes be hereditary, it is not necessary for all members of the family to possess this skill.
