Theseus Scamander, once you stripped him of his commanding persona and set aside his feats from the war, you uncovered a big old warrywort. Especially when it came to me. He had the most horrendous habit of hovering around me and he had done since we had been introduced. One of our parents must have remarked that because he was 5 years older than me, he was to look after me.

He had taken that too much to heart.

"Thee," I protested as I moved around the kitchen, cooking as I went. Picking up the vegetables I set aside on the counter top, I proceeded to wash them. "You're hovering again."

He didn't respond, shrugging slightly. Crossing his arms over his chest, he leaned against the kitchen counter and watched me closely. Helga, no matter how accustomed I was to the weight of his concerned eyes, it didn't make it any less infuriating.

"You're still pining after Newt," he teased from his position, making me pause momentarily in my motions. Glancing over my shoulder, I rolled my eyes for him to see and before turning to continue my cooking. He moved out of my way as I went to pass him. He followed after me.

"Honestly," I muttered, "Thee, you're useless in the kitchen and you're being more of a hassle then you are a help."

He didn't bother to respond to my words and instead continued to tease me; I wasn't very surprised. "Then again, when you were younger you always said your dream was to become Mrs Scamander."

Peering into the cooking pot, I stirred in some corn-starch to thicken the soup when I felt him creep beside me. I felt his shoulder brush against mine, making me look curiously towards him. My smile dipped slightly when I saw the serious look in his eyes. Helga, not again.

"Theseus," I protested quietly, trailing off when he turned away from me to looking into the bubbling pot.

"Of course," he remarked, words no more than a mumble which could have been easily lost, "I did offer." I couldn't respond to him, what response was I meant to give a man who I knew was in love with me? Standing before me was a man who claimed he'd lay his life down in place of my own and I knew he actually meant it. And yet, it wasn't enough. Of course, he knew my thoughts and looked to me with a sad smile. "But everyone knows that you've only ever had eyes for one Scamander."

It was my turn to look away. Pushing away from him, I made my way towards the sink and cast a quick glance to the clock. He'd arrive any minute now. Turning the sink on, I began to wash the dirty equipment when I heard Theseus clear his throat from behind me.

"You know you need to marry," he said gently from behind me, his words tentative. "We've been over this countless times."

"Drop it Theseus," I said quietly, not willing to fight him. There was no more fight left in me. Letting out a steadying breath, I gripped the counter for a moment before continuing to wash up. "Please – not now."

"You can't keep this up for long," he warned with obvious concern. Theseus had always had too big of a heart in his chest. That was precisely the reason that I didn't tell him that I could feel myself beginning to grow lightheaded. Without showing an outward reaction, I breathed steadily until it faded. I'd grown a lot better at hiding things.

"We'll cross that hurdle when we come to it."

I could practically feel him narrow his eyes at me from his spot by the stove. But before he had the opportunity to say another word, the doorbell rang. Turning the tap off, I looked to Theseus.

"Will you get that? It's probably Newt."

He nodded reluctantly, heading to the front door. The moment he had left the kitchen, I crossed the room to rifle through the potions cabinet. Finding the potion the healer had prescribed, I poured out a single dosage and tipped it down my throat. My head cleared and I vaguely listened to the two Scamander brothers as they caught up in my dining room.

I heard Newt ask where I was as I shut the cabinet. Walking into the dining room with a smile, my eyes instantly went to the wizard settled across from Theseus.

"Did you miss me?" I teased, coming to a stop behind Thee's chair. Newt grew red under my eyes and I grinned, leaning against the back of the chair. "I'm only teasing."

"How have you been?" Newt asked after clearing his throat, "I haven't seen you in a while."

"I've been better," I admitted truthfully and before he could think further on my statement, I hurried on, "Besides, whose fault is it that we haven't seen each other? You're the one that's been traversing the globe, looking for magical creatures."

"I tried to get back in time for your graduation –"

"Don't worry about that," I reassured him. "Now, why don't you go and freshen up? I'll bring the food to the table."

As Newt went to do just that, my mind instantly went to his parents who had both been called away on business and, as result, were unable to greet their youngest son upon his return home. I had offered to do it instead since mother and father were both called away from home too. Of course Theseus, overprotective as he was, took time off work to make sure nothing happened to me whilst I was alone.

When Newt returned to the dining table, I listened quietly as the two brothers spoke to each other. I blushed prettily when Newt complimented my cooking and swiftly dodged the topic when he asked me why I was picking at my food. I had long since lost my appetite. Theseus threw me a concerned look and I turned my attention to the younger Scamander brother who cast a glance between his brother and me. During the lead up to Newt's return he had pestered me about my finally telling Newt but I wasn't sure if I was ready for that yet. I just knew that the way he looked at me would change.

And that would kill me before this curse would.

Mother and father once again, had business with the Scamanders and had been invited to their family home for dinner. Because the older Scamanders were fully in the know, they extended the invitation to me as well. Mrs Scamander had ushered me into the room the moment I appeared through the floo and did nothing short of wrapping me in cotton wool as she settled me into an oversized armchair.

Once she was satisfied that I was comfortable, she joined my parents and her husband in the kitchen. It was obvious why we were here. Mr Scamander was a renowned curse-breaker so there was really no doubt in what business they had with him. I glanced to the clock and settled into the armchair, snagging a stray photo album as I prepared to stay seated for a while.

I hadn't moved from my spot in over an hour and I sighed upon realising that it was only 7 o'clock. If it was only 7 and I was feeling drained of energy, the –

The progression of the curse had seemed to accelerate in the past few months and it was obvious that whatever solution my parents were looking for, they'd need to find it soon. Of course, we knew of one solution but there was no way it would work yet –

Dismissing the negative thoughts, I looked down to the page I'd opened the album to and smiled instantly. Only 10 years ago I had been healthy, completely healthy and certainly more lively than I was now. In the picture, taken by Mrs Scamander on Newt's first day at Hogwarts, I was clinging to his coattails, unwilling to let him go. Even when we were growing up, Newt had been a quiet lad and he must've found my energetic presence to be a nuisance but he never said a word. In fact, in the picture he was looking down at me with a fond smile.

I could still remember the day so clearly. Even at 9, I knew that the affection I held for Newt was something more, it was different to the way I felt about Theseus. We had wound up having to accompany the Scamanders to drop their sons off to the train because I had thrown a tantrum. I protested that I simply couldn't be expected to survive until Christmas without seeing Newt. His father had ruffled his hair teasingly, his mother had cooed that I was adorable, Theseus had complained that I didn't care about him and my parents, well, they hadn't been impressed by my tantrum. Newt himself had turned an impressive shade of scarlet.

The two brothers, after giving us all long drawn out goodbyes, hurried to the train. Thee promised to write to his parents and from over his shoulder, Newt promised he'd write to me often.

"How long have you been sitting here?"

Startled, I closed the photo album and looked up to see Newt as he stood in the doorway, shrugging out of his long coat.

"When did you get here?" I asked, pushing aside the blanket Mrs Scamander had draped over my legs.

"Just now." He watched me curiously, raising an eyebrow as he untied his scarf from around his neck. "I've been here long enough to know that they're calling us for dinner. Didn't you hear them?"

"I guess I got lost in my thoughts," I muttered, watching as he crossed the room towards the armchair I was sitting in.

Newt reached out, offering me his hand. "Well, perhaps we should leave before they send out a search party for you."

"Perhaps you're right."

I took the offered hand, slowly rising to my feet and letting out a breath when I was overcome by a quick bout of dizziness. Helga, this was so frustrating! It wasn't as if I'd stood too quickly – I'd been careful to avoid doing that since the first time I had found myself collapsing to the floor after standing. My eyes avoided the concerned ones trained on my face and instead, I looked to the clock. This was all happening too soon.

"You're so much more withdrawn," he said quietly, eyebrows furrowed as he scanned my face. "It's like the energy's been drained out of you. I miss how you used to be."

I started, growing red under his eyes. How could I have forgotten how perceptive he could be? Newt might not have been one to talk, but he was a keen observer of behaviour. And yet, he was the only one not in the know. It was only time until he figured it out for himself. It was inevitable.

Clearing my throat, I raised my eyes to his waiting ones and teased him, as I normally would have. "I'm going to take that to mean that you missed me."

It was his turn to redden and he tried to let go of my hand. But I didn't let him. Tightening my hand on his, I led him towards the kitchen. He might have believed me to be the same clingy girl that I'd been in my childhood and I'd allow him to continue to think that way. I'd never tell him that holding his hand was the only thing that was stopping the room from spinning.

We walked towards the dining room to join our parents and I wasn't surprised to find Theseus busy in conversation with them. The talk stopped when we entered the room and Newt helped me into the seat beside Thee before taking the one on my other side. My eyes went to Theseus as they always did in this situation and from the grim set of his lips I knew all I needed to.

My parents were becoming desperate. With my condition deteriorating at an alarming rate, they were looking into every possible solution to this botched curse. I wasn't much use to them. Not when I found myself becoming tired simply from sitting in one place for too long. This was the first time I had been out of my bed in two days and I was a little disgruntled that I found myself in the Scamander family home, once again. Mother had been so worried about something happening to me that she had confined me to my bed and wouldn't let me step out of it unless she was by my side.

The only reason she had let me out of bed was because Thee had believed he'd found some sort of loophole. He had owled my parents immediately and so, despite it being 11 o'clock in the night, they had bundled me up and we were off to the Scamanders. Neither of them were willing to risk leaving me home alone, especially not when it was so close to 12. They had no other choice but to bring me with them.

Mrs Scamander took one look at my gaunt face and promptly ushered me to the arm chair she'd placed me in last time. I curled up in the arm chair, the need to sleep overcoming me once again and she took her cue to head back towards my parents. If this curse hadn't left me feeling so suddenly tired then I would have thrown a fit over how redundant it made me. Helga, I'd napped an hour ago! Why did I need to nap again?

"Merlin, I feel so useless," I muttered to myself, forcing my eyes open. Letting out a deep breath, I brushed a hand over my face.

"Why?" The question made me stop partway through the motion, lifting my head to look at Newt.

"What are you doing here?" Furrowing my eyebrows, I asked curiously, "Did you and Thee move back home?"

"Of course not. Mother and father asked for us to spend time with them." He played with his fingers, hands hidden beneath the too long sleeves of his jumper. "But it seems like they've got some work to get through." Clearing his throat, he looked up at me from beneath his eyelashes with a small, shy smile. "You never answered my question; why do you feel useless?"

"It's nothing," I dismissed quietly, clearing my throat and looking to the doorway where mother emerged from.

She peered into the room, blatant concern flickering across her features. I sighed, looking away from mother and back to Newt who was frowning at me. How was I supposed to tell him that I was feeling coddled without him asking why I was being coddled?

"Do you need anything sweetheart?" she asked, acting as though she wasn't sneaking glances at the clock. When I shook my head, she nodded and prepared to head back to father's side. "If you need anything, just give me a call. Don't try and get it yourself; I don't want you to fall over again."

"Fall?" Newt questioned, rendering me unable to meet his eyes. When it became obvious that I didn't plan on answering him, he called after my mother. I looked at him then, gaze cautious but he didn't so much as glance my way. Mother looked at him curiously. "Can I take her out for a bit? Nowhere too far; just for a little midnight walk?"

If he saw the way mother stiffened at the word midnight, he made no mention of it.

"I don't know," she trailed off apprehensively, "I don't think it's the best idea."

"I want to go," I piped up, making her look to me in surprise. Mother met my eyes head on, sighing when she realised that I wasn't going to budge.

"Don't stay out for too long," she warned and I grinned at the first piece of freedom I'd been given in a long time.

As mother turned to leave, my eyes drifted back to the silent boy who watched me closely. He didn't comment on my mother's odd behaviours like I believed he would. Instead, he headed over to the coat hooks and threw his coat towards me.

"Put that on," he ordered, retrieving his scarf.

"What about you?" I asked, rising rather unsteadily to my feet. Newt glanced at me, frowning openly when he saw the way I appeared to have no strength in my legs.

"Do you even have enough power in you to cast a heating charm?" he wondered, watching as I slid my hands into the too long sleeves. "I can easily cast a heating charm to stay warm."

Watching silently as he approached me, I wasn't willing to tell him that I hadn't had the strength to cast any spells in over a month. This curse was stealing my strength, stripping me of my magical ability and rendering me no more capable of magic than a squib.

"Tell me the truth," he said quietly, standing in front of me and carefully looping his scarf around my neck. He peered down at me, meeting my eyes head on and I swallowed nervously at the blatant fear in his eyes, "are you ill?"

"No," I whispered truthfully.

He didn't believe me; of course, he didn't. Stepping away from me, Newt sighed through his nose and cast a warming charm over himself. Turning back to me, he offered me his arm and I took it gratefully, leaning some of my weight on him. I let him lead me out of his childhood home but not before I cast a glance at the clock mounted on the wall.

We walked in a quiet silence and I knew that he was wrestling with his curiosity, trying not to intrude because it was obvious that I had no intention of telling him what was going on. But he'd seen the state I was in and Newt, as soft as he always had been, wasn't able to see anyone suffering.

"There's something going on, isn't there?" he asked into the silence, making me look to him. He wasn't looking at me. Instead, he was staring up into the night sky and I copied him, fighting to remain clearheaded when my vision began to swim slightly.

It was almost 12.

"If you tell me," he said just as quietly and I felt the weight on his stare on the side of my face, "I can help you. Just tell me what's going on."

I looked to him then, giving him a sad smile. My eyes flickered between his and I hated that I was the reason behind the torment hidden deep within them. That expression reminded me so much of that little boy who had brought a swallow with a broken wing into his house because he wasn't willing to leave it on its own. He never changed.

My sad smile shifted and I forcefully made myself give him a carefree one.

"Are you worried about me, Newt?" I teased cheekily, tilting my head slightly. Exasperation briefly coloured his features. "You care about me."

"I'd be a fool not to."

His uncharacteristically open admission took me by surprise, rendering me speechless for a moment. Clearing my throat, I looked away from him and to the night sky. "You know, you never answered my question; I asked you multiple times but you never gave me an answer. Did you miss me while you were away?"

"In my every waking moment."

I took a deep breath, nodding my head even as tears threatened to fill my eyes. This was so unfair; only years ago those words would have sent my heart a flutter but it was too late. I was out of time. The air was tense, anticipation filling the silence and I wasn't stupid; he was waiting for me to say something, to respond and do something about the confession that had been years in the making. But I wouldn't. I couldn't.

Newt eventually realised this and cleared his throat, looking down at the watch he wore on the arm I was holding onto.

"We should head back," he murmured and I instantly wanted to protest. This was the first time I was allowed out from under my parents watch and I wasn't willing to let it end so soon. "It's almost midnight."

And suddenly, the situation shifted with those three words.

As he turned to lead me back inside, I pulled on his arm. Newt looked curiously at me, raising an eyebrow. I shook my head silently and he sighed.

"It's cold," he reminded me, "It would be best if you headed back inside now."

"Just a little longer," I begged, even as I felt myself grow more tired. "Please?"

"You look like you're about to collapse," he warned me.

"Let's sit for a bit," I suggested, "and it'll pass."

He wasn't convinced. But he was also against having me stand for long. Pushing me gently onto the damp grass beneath us, he settled down beside me. I was shielded from the grass by Newt's coat but he wasn't protected by anything. And yet he didn't complain. Instead, he kept his eyes trained on me as if expecting me to just disappear from before his eyes. Well, he wasn't far from the truth.

Letting out a breath, I leaned my head on his shoulder and reached out to pull his arm towards me. He complied, letting me stare down at his wristwatch as the minutes ticked by. Midnight was approaching and dread bloomed in the pit of my stomach. It wasn't too late for me to head back inside, to see my parents before midnight arrived. But even as I sat here, leaning against his shoulder, I felt content in a way that I hadn't felt since the curse began to take its toll. I had no problem with spending the moments that would potentially be my last, curled up against Newt's side.

I watched with bated breath as the final minute countdown to midnight began and the closer the seconds hand got to 12, the more fear bloomed inside my chest. Helga, I wasn't ready to go yet.

And just as it had done last night, just as it had done for countless nights, the seconds hand ticked past 12 and began its steady progress towards 1. Midnight passed uneventfully and I remained breathing, I was alive. The strangled breath that left me was one of relief and whilst it took Newt by surprise, it didn't surprise him as much as the sudden grin I gave his curious look.

I'd lived another day.

When he tried to pull away from me to say something, I simply shook my head and leaned closer into him.

"Let's just stay like this for a little longer," I whispered, looking up at the stars, "Just a little longer."

My little stunt of staying out with Newt until after midnight hadn't impressed my parents who, as midnight drew closer, had turned hysterical. When I walked into he Scamander family home, I had been embraced suddenly by my mother who began to cry with loud, relieved sobs. From over her shoulders I met Thee's eyes and I swore that I'd never seen him appear so visibly frightened. Here was a man who had not only fought in the war, but led entire battalions into battle and yet, my disappearance had frightened him more than war ever had. I didn't get a chance to say goodbye to either of the Scamander brothers as my parents ushered me home.

When we reached home I was confined to my bed which was where I remained. It had been days since our visit to the Scamanders and my parents weren't budging on their decision to impose my bedrest. It was extremely suffocating. There was only so much that you could do whilst stuck in bed and believe me, I had tried them all.

This was so boring.

Before the boredom had a chance to eat further away at my patience, my bedroom door was pushed open and I turned to find mother walking into the room with a tray full of snacks. She smiled slowly, approaching my bed and placing the tray on the bedside table.

"Is there anything you need?" she asked, sitting down on the edge of the bed.

"To be let out of this bed," I said truthfully, watching her shake her head instantly.

"No way."

"Please, I feel like I'm going to go insane if I stay here for so long."

"I've let you out of bed twice already and within minutes you collapsed." With a sigh, she reached out to tuck some of my hair behind my ear. Biting my bottom lip, I looked stubbornly away from her, "You know that it's safest inside the bed."

"Being in the bed isn't going to stop the inevitable," I remained her perhaps a little too harshly, "it doesn't matter where I am when midnight arrives – that doesn't change anything."

"You're right," she nodded to herself, swallowing thickly, "Of course you're right but I'm still not allowing you to leave the bed. Now, how are you feeling today?"

"Truthfully? Like a flobberworm's behind." The façade of strength that my mother tried to keep up faltered for a second and I sighed, reaching out to put a hand on top of hers. "Mum –"

"This has gone on for long enough." Withdrawing her hand from beneath mine, she cleared her throat, voice firm despite the quiver it contained. "You know the solution to this curse – the one solution – so why won't you just get it over with."

"Mum."

"Theseus offered to marry you – you know that's the only solution to this."

"I'm not forcefully binding myself to him," I muttered, looking down to my hands. I'd lost count of the number of times we'd had this conversation. "He doesn't know what he's offering to get himself into."

"You'll recover –"

"Will I?" I asked scathingly, looking up suddenly to meet her eyes, "You know that I haven't been able to cast a spell in a long time and my wand doesn't seem to recognise me as a witch anymore. Merlin, everyday my magical power disappears a little more, slipping away from me with my lifeforce. Say I marry Theseus and the curse breaks, that doesn't mean that I'll recover my magic. He'll be left with a squib for a wife and if that wasn't bad enough, he'll have a wife that doesn't love him."

"He loves you, though," she tried to persuade me, reaching out to take my hands in hers. "That might be enough."

"You know it won't be enough." Letting out a small breath, I watched as mother tightened her hold on my hands as she grew more desperate. "There's so much that we don't know about this curse, but one thing we do know is that it needs to be reciprocated and it really isn't."

"Well try," mother pleaded, ducking her head to meet my lowered eyes. "Try to love him."

"Do you think I haven't?" I asked quietly, pulling my hands away from hers, "Merlin, Newt's been away for years, and I've tried to feel that way about Thee. I turned to him whenever I would have sought after Newt, I tried to appreciate everything about him that makes him a good man – I really have. But it doesn't work like that. I just can't." With a sigh, I lowered my eyes to my duvet, "I can't control my heart."

We were both rendered speechless, reaching yet another impasse in a conversation that had been going on ever since we had found out that marriage was one possible solution to this curse. But perhaps it was good that our conversation had ended, especially when there was a knock on my door. Mother rose to her feet to open the door, revealing the two Scamander brothers on the other side. I wondered whether they had heard any part of our conversation but, as they hadn't spoken a word, I assumed that they hadn't.

Mother left the room, making a hasty exit and leaving me with the two men. Clearing my throat, I sat up properly and leaned against the headboard. I gestured them inside and Theseus strode towards the bed, sitting beside me. Newt remained where he was, hovering awkwardly.

"What's going on?" I asked, looking between the pair of them. Briefly, I met Thee's eyes before looking apprehensively towards Newt, wondering whether he knew anything. It was only natural for him to be curious, especially after the spectacle he had seen at his house but had he voiced his curiosity to anyone? "If two workaholics like you are off from work then someone must be dying."

Newt didn't appreciate my teasing. He looked harshly towards me, holding my eyes for a long moment. I swallowed nervously under his stare, turning towards Theseus's waiting eyes.

"He knows something's going on," he admitted quietly.

I took in a deep breath, releasing it slowly, "Does he know?"

Theseus shook his head slowly and I slumped against the pillows in relief. The relief was short lived at the appearance of a sharp pain at the back of my skull. I let out a strangled gasp, clutching my head in my hands, tugging at my hair. Newt was there in an instant, prying my fingers out of my hair and trying to get me to look at him. But I couldn't. I could barely raise my head when the pain got so bad.

Merlin, the pain was becoming a more common thing and there was no way to stop it, it was just the next step in my symptoms growing worse. The pain went just as quickly as it came, taking away all my energy with it and rendering me useless. My eyes grew heavy but I tried to fight against the need to sleep.

It was pointless trying to fight it.

Especially when the pain came back moments later, the second bout far worse than the first. I reached out for a steadying hand, trying to clear my head. Newt slipped his hand into my own and I clung to the strength, turning into him. He remained tense, even as I curled against his chest, as if he was scared that breathing might set me off again.

When the pain ended like it always did, I couldn't even want to fight. My eyes closed and I briefly heard Theseus announce that he was going to call my father. I couldn't respond to him.

I was asleep within seconds, completely drained.

When I awoke again, it was long past midnight and I was overcome with the knowledge that I had lived another day. However, once that had sunk in, I recalled the exact situation in which I had found myself suddenly slumbering. Newt –

Throwing the duvet back, I climbed out of my bed and took a moment to steady myself as I grew lightheaded from the movement. Righting myself, I walked slowly out of my room and briefly acknowledged my hunger before I heard the conversation that was happening in the front room. I stopped at the top of the staircase, peering through the columns of the staircase and into the front room.

Settling down on the stairs, my eyes were fixed onto Newt's figure which was busy pacing in front of the fireplace, brows furrowed as he was lost to his own thoughts. Mother and father were sat on the sofa across from him, watching him as he moved around the room and Theseus, well he was watching his brother intently from his spot by the window.

Newt stopped his pacing, lowering his eyes to the ground as he asked, "What's wrong with her?" When he was greeted with no answer, he looked up forcefully, "Don't deny it. Just give me the truth. Please?"

"She's suffering from a curse," father admitted after a heavy sigh.

"Curse?" Newt questioned, looking to his brother who simply nodded, turning away from him slightly. "Who cursed her?"

"No one." I watched as father rubbed a tired hand over his face, "It's been passed down the family for generations and when it was cast, the wizard intended for it to appear in the next girl born into our family. She's the first one since."

When it was clear that father was having a hard time carrying on, mother spoke for him. She reached out to put a hand on his knee, squeezing it consolingly. I brought my knees to my chest, leaning my chin on them.

"It was cast by a jealous wizard," she admitted, "who made a betrothal offer to my husband's great, great, great grandmother. The wizard was rumoured to be obsessed with her and when he was spurned because she loved another, he placed a curse on her that any female born within the family would die on the eve of her 12th birthday, destined to never find love."

"She's long passed that," Newt pointed out, watching as my parents shared a look.

"We went to see a curse breaker the moment she showed signs of the curse manifesting, but the best we could do was to have it delayed to give us a bit more time to look for a cure. That too came with a cost. We know that the only outcome of this curse is for her to pass but by delaying it so she'd live past 12, we made it so we know that she'll die at 12."

"Midnight," Theseus supplied.

"And is there?" he demanded fiercely, an anger that I was certain he didn't possess coming to the surface. "Is there a cure?"

"We found one, but she's refusing to go through with it," Theseus explained, pushing away from the window. Before Newt could protest, he carried on, "She needs to go through a traditional blood binding. That's why she was supposed to die before 12, long before becoming of age."

"She needs to marry," Newt murmured, looking around the room in confusion. "If she needs to marry then why a blood binding –"

"Think for a moment before you speak," Thee snapped, growing exasperated, "the traditional blood binding not only merges two souls, it's the only way to make it so she was never a Copeland. The traditional binding magically alters her identity. But when arranged marriages came into fashion, blood bindings went out of date because both parties need to love each other. Forceful attempts at blood bindings broke countless arranged marriages. She needs to love the person she binds herself to."

"And doesn't she love someone?" Newt asked and I couldn't help but chuckle slightly at just how obtuse he was being. Thee seemed to share my thoughts. He watched his brother incredulously, shaking his head and looking away from him.

My parents began to speak of the curse, filling Newt in on the rest of the details when he asked to know more. I rose to my feet with a sigh, walking slowly towards my room. From the moment we had found out about the potential cure, mother had been pressing me to bind myself to Theseus. She said he loved me and I knew he did, but did she not know of the consequences of trying to force a binding when the love wasn't reciprocated? That would only bring further bad luck to my parents, to Thee. And, if by some miracle, the affection I held for him was enough to fool the ancient magic that was involved with the bindings, how would Thee feel about living with a wife who had always preferred his brother? I couldn't do that to him.

Reaching my room, I headed back to my bed and planned to wait out until the Scamander brothers had left before emerging from my room again. surely there was some other cure, something that didn't involve ruining anyone else's life by shackling themselves with a burden for the rest of their lives. Maybe it would just be easier if –

Newt burst suddenly into my room, startling me out of my thoughts. I looked up at him with wide eyes, watching as he shut the door behind him. He brought his eyes to mine, swallowing thickly before striding across the room to take me in his arms. My eyebrows rose in surprise and I tried to pull back, wanting to ask him what was wrong. But he didn't let me. Tightening his arms around me, he buried his nose in my hair and let out a deep breath. I hesitated for a moment before returning the hug.

"Newt," I murmured quietly, closing my eyes for a moment as my throat tightened. If he kept behaving like this, then dying was going to be hard, "what's the matter?"

"Don't worry about a thing," he ordered quietly, pulling away from me to press a kiss to my forehead. I sucked in a shocked breath, surprised by the uncharacteristically – no, the improper affectionate gesture. Helga, he was making this so difficult. He began to murmur repeatedly against my forehead, his words sounding like an unbreakable vow. "Theseus will do something. I will do something."

I hadn't seen either of the Scamander brothers since the day Newt found out and that had been a few days ago. Not that I would ever admit to their faces but I had grown used to the pair of them hovering around me; Theseus acting like a mother hen, and Newt trying to understand what was going on. Since that day I was rarely allowed out of my bed except to go to the bathroom. My condition was deteriorating to such an extent where I wasn't even allowed out of the bed to stretch my legs and I was certain that I was developing bedsores.

To make up for my confinement, mother had instructed the house-elves to keep my bedside table full of new books for me to read and I was currently working through the muggle books that I had requested. The book that was held between my hands was a tale of a mermaid that wished to walk amongst the humans and honestly, right now I sympathised with her. But I couldn't help but wonder where the muggle author got his information about merpeople from. Because honestly, I'd had an unfortunate encounter with the merpeople that resided in the Black Lake, and they certainly hadn't been anything like he described. But then again, what did I expect a muggle to know about magical creatures?

I reached the end of my page just as there was a knock on my bedroom door.

"Come in," I called out, bookmarking my place and setting the book aside on the mattress.

Looking to the door, my eyebrows rose in surprise when Newt popped his head around the door. With a bashful smile, he asked, "Can I come in?"

"Of course," I said after clearing my throat, sitting up to lean against my pillows.

Licking my bottom lip, I internally despaired at the picture I must have painted for him. I had long since given up expecting to receive any guest and hadn't bothered to freshen up this morning. And now, as I sat with my ratty hair I wished I had. I watched as he walked into the room carrying an unusual suitcase at his side.

"Are you planning on leaving again?" I asked, tilting my head curiously.

"No," he denied, setting the suitcase down at the door. He hesitated for a moment before crossing the room to stand by my bed. I couldn't help but smile at the adorable gesture; he was acting as if he hadn't been the overly affectionate one last time.

"I actually wanted to take you somewhere," he admitted, rubbing a hand across the back of his neck. "There's something I want to show you."

"But I'm still on bedrest," I explained, patting my bed. "Besides, my mother won't let me out of my room, let alone out of my house."

"You don't need to worry about that," he insisted as the corner of his lips pulled up slightly. My eyebrows rose, doing a doubletake; I'd never seen him look so mischievous before. "You won't even step out of that door."

"What are you planning?" His smile only grew further at the sound of my suspicion.

Without bothering to answer me, he left me a slave to my curiosity and drew away from the bed. I watched his progress across from the room towards his discarded suitcase. He kneeled beside it, opening the latch and staring into it for a moment. Unable to help myself, I leaned forward, trying to get a closer look into the suitcase to see what it was that had him so interested. Eventually, he threw it open and I slumped back against my pillows. Honestly, what had I been expecting?

Newt rose to his feet again, walking back to the bedside and offering me his hand. "Come on then."

"Where are we going?" I raised my eyes to his, slipping my hand into his.

"Do you want to see something," he hesitated, searching for the right word. "out of this world?"

"Always," I agreed, allowing him to pull me up.

I should have warned him about what happened when I stood too quickly. But somehow it had slipped out of my mind and I didn't remember to remind him. Only when my knees collapsed after me did I remember. I winced, closing my eyes and expecting to feel the full force of the fall but I didn't. An arm wound around my waist before I could hit the floor, hauling me against a solid, sturdy chest and helping me back to my feet. Peeking an eye open cautiously, I met Newt's tormented eyes and swallowed.

Forcing myself to give him a smile, I murmured, "I guess you've still got those quidditch reflexes then, huh?"

"You're deteriorating at an alarming rate," he said quietly, staring at my face. Growing a little uncomfortable under his eyes, I glanced away from him for a moment.

"I guess that means that this'll all be over soon," I tried to joke, avoiding his eyes when he glared at me, narrowing his eyes at me.

"Don't even joke about that," he ordered firmly, the intensity of his eyes rendering me speechless.

I nodded weakly, "Sorry."

He sighed, releasing my waist and shaking his head slowly, "No, I should be the one apologising. It was out of line for me to be speaking to you like that – especially in this state."

"It shows you care," I said truthfully, mustering up a smile. Clearing my throat, I asked, "Aren't we going somewhere?"

"Right." He stepped away from me, bringing some distance between us before faltering. Holding his arm out to me he allowed me to use it for support. "Follow me."

And I wanted to follow after him. That was until I watched him disappear into his suitcase. I gasped, kneeling beside the suitcase and peering into it. My head went into the suitcase, looking around in wonder. Eventually, my eyes settled onto Newt who was waiting at the bottom of the stairs.

"Aren't you coming?"

"Good Merlin, where did you get this?" I wondered aloud, bringing my head out of the suitcase. Rising to my feet I made my way slowly down the stairs, reaching out to Newt when I reached the bottom of the stairs. My arms wound around his neck as I took in a deep breath.

"I guess that's my exercise for the day."

"Here," he said, bringing me over to a stool situated in the corner of the room. After settling me down, he made his way around his small workspace. "Are there any potions that your healer said you can't take?"

"I doubt it," I murmured, looking around in fascination, "especially considering the number of potions I'm currently on." Distantly, I heard something squawk and my eyes grew wide. "You don't have creatures in here, do you?"

Newt threw me a look over his shoulder, grinning, "What do you think?"

"Why am I not surprised?" I shook my head with a smile, watching as he turned back to whatever potion he was currently brewing.

Once his potion had finished brewing, he poured out a portion and handed it back to me, "Bottoms up.

I peered cautiously into the cup, "What is it?"

"An Invigorating Draught." He wiped his hands clean, picking up a bucket of something, "I brought you in here because I wanted to show you the creatures I've saved over my travels and I can't do that if you've been drained of energy."

"Just how many creatures do you have?"

He met my eyes, the warm sparkle in them making me smile, "Hundreds and I want you to meet every single one."

Tipping the potion down my throat, I didn't even bother to make a face at the taste. When you drank as many potions a day as I did, the taste didn't bother you anymore. The effect of the potion was instantaneous and I rose to my feet on my own for the first time in a long time. I stretched my arms out in wonder; it had been so long since I felt so healthy. The effects of the potion would be short-lived, but for now, I welcomed them with open arms.

Even though there was no need for it, Newt offered me his arm and I took it allowing him to lead me away. As we walked through the impressively large case, I took in each of the creatures with open eyes. It was amazing to finally be able to see the creatures that he'd written extensively to me about.

"I've fed most of them already," he said, glancing briefly towards me, "but I left the Mooncalves for last. I thought you'd help me?"

"I – sure."

Newt escorted me towards the Mooncalves that jumped excitedly around us when they saw us approaching. I hesitated for a moment, looking at Newt curiously when he reached into the bucket to retrieve a handful of food pellets and placed them in my open palm. He nudged me and I looked back to the Mooncalves, extending my hand slowly only to grin moments later when they crowded Mooncalves crowded around my hand. Retrieving my hand from the crook of Newt's arm, I patted one of the calves slowly.

He coughed quietly from beside me. "Were you never going to tell me? Why did it take you ending up in such a state for you to tell me?"

My hand slowed, patting the calf gently. "I didn't want you to treat me like I was made of glass." Looking up at him, I smiled gratefully at him, "You have no idea how much it meant to me that there was someone in my life who was treating me like I was normal – like I wasn't dying."

"That was because I didn't know. Theseus knew." For a moment I believed him jealous but dismissed it, turning my attention back to the Mooncalves.

"He found out the very day I found out." With a sigh, I confessed, "Remember that time when I collapsed during my first year and Thee was there to catch me?"

"He carried you all the way to the hospital wing," he recalled, "everyone wondered why a sixth year was bothering over a first year."

"Well, it appears that collapsing that time signalled the beginning of the delayed curse. Theseus was there in the hospital wing when my parents admitted everything to me." Clearing my throat, I murmured, "If I'd had a choice then he would have never found out either."

Newt reached out, pulling my hands away from the Mooncalves and making me turn my attention back to him. I raised an eyebrow when he stared down silently at me without releasing his hold on my hands.

"You know about the potential cure? The only cure they've found so far?" he murmured quietly making my heart leap into my throat. Useless anticipation bloomed in my chest and I thought for one pointless second that he was going to do something stupid, like volunteer himself. But of course he wouldn't, "The blood binding, sharing souls and altering your identity permanently?"

I nodded, rationalising quietly that he wouldn't say what I was hoping he'd say. No matter how much I tried to believe my words, my heart wasn't convinced. "I'm not willing to burden someone."

"You could never be a burden," he said quietly, reaching out to brush a hand over my hair before he was able to catch himself in the action. My eyes met his, again with that ridiculous hope displayed in them. His expression faltered as he drew his hand back to his side and carefully guarding his emotions. "There's Theseus."

And just like that, the hope was gone. I shouldn't have been so surprised.

"He loves you," he reminded me quietly.

"But I don't love him," I sighed, "I love –" He looked to me suddenly, warning me not to finish my words and they, as a result, died in my throat. Clearing my throat, I wondered quietly, "You really don't know, do you?"

I held his eyes for a long steady moment before looking away when a Mooncalf nudged at me, still hungry. Turning away from him, I reached into the bucket to get some more food and opened my palm out to the calf which greedily ate its fill.

"I do know," he said quietly from beside me, "I've always know."

My eyes were torn away from the calf, meeting his. The insecurity in them took me by surprise, "But?"

"I just worry it won't be enough. I'd hate for you to bind yourself to me and for it to not work." Swallowing thickly, he admitted, "What if I'm not enough?"

"You've always been enough," with a self-deprecating laugh, I added, "You were all I ever wanted."

We both looked back to the Mooncalf which was burrowing into my empty hand. I smiled gently, brushing a hand over the creature's head. It seemed like it had a soft spot for me.

The next day found me confined to my bed once again. Except, things were different now. Today was the end. I could tell because I could barely summon the strength to lift a single finger. The temptation to close my eyes was extreme, especially with midnight dawning. But now, now that this was very likely the end, I wasn't ready to go yet. I was fighting for my life – literally.

Mother and father were sat beside my bed, talking quietly between themselves. Father reached out to run a soothing hand over my hair, his other hand covering both of my mother's as she sobbed quietly. Mr and Mrs Scamander were stood in the corner of the room after having floo'd over the moment they received news of my worsening health. They had wanted to see me once more and I was glad to have been given the chance to see them.

I blinked slowly, summoning the strength to turn my head towards my parents and mustered up a small smile. Father struggled to return it but mother didn't even try to. She dropped her head, taking in a shuddering breath. Despite myself, I felt my own eyes fill with tears and tried to blink them away. It didn't work and instead they fell.

My bedroom door was thrown open with force and everyone turned to look at the doorway as the two Scamander brothers walked into the room. Theseus, the one to slam the door open remained frozen in the doorway, too shocked at the state he'd found me in. Newt, who had been standing behind his brother dodged past him and came to my side in an instant.

"I got word that your heartbeat was dropping," he murmured, kneeling beside the bed, eyes scanning over my face. "I didn't want to believe it but –"

I sniffled, trying to hold back my tears but it was no use. Blinking slowly, I met his eyes and murmured, "I must look a sight."

"I think I found something," he began urgently as Theseus approached the bed, eyes locked to my face.

"It's ok," I assured him, my words no more than a whisper as I struggled to lift a hand to his face. I didn't quite make it. Newt took my hand, pressing it against his cheek and nuzzling into it. Smiling through my tears, I repeated, "It's ok. I got to see everyone one more time. I'm with everyone I love."

"Don't talk like that," Theseus demanded from behind Newt who glanced over his shoulder at his brother, releasing my hand. "This isn't the end. It can't be."

"Thee –"

He shook his head fiercely. "No! You're supposed to grow old and grey and be surrounded by grandchildren, not – not like this."

Reaching out my hand towards him, I smiled gently when he took my hand and pressed a kiss to the back of it. "Thee, you can't save everyone. Isn't that what you always told me?"

"But you were the one I wanted to save the most," he murmured back finally, and for the first time since we had been children, his eyes filled with tears. "Weren't you the one that always told me that if there was something I wanted with all my heart, something that I put all my effort into, then there was nothing stopping me from accomplishing it? Then why can't I save you?"

"Maybe you're not meant to," I said after a moment's thought, looking between the two brothers. What had I done to deserve the love of two of the best men I'd ever known?

Distantly I heard mother begin to sob even louder and glanced her way. Father tried to quieten her down but when it became evident that mother was only getting started, he made her rise to her feet and escorted her to the corner of the room. They spoke in hushed words and I looked to the clock. There was only minutes left.

I looked back to Theseus when I felt him help me to sit up. Without a word, he moved the hand he was still holding towards Newt. The two brothers shared a look and before I could ask what was going on, Newt made me clasp my hand with his.

"Newt," I began warningly, recognising the gesture, "what are you doing?"

"I did my own research," he admitted, looking to his brother and nodding. Thee pointed his wand towards our clasped hands and our parents fell silent, watching in a tense silence. "I can buy us – you some time until we can organise the binding."

"Thee don't do this," I said but it was no use. "We don't know what will happen to him."

Theseus cast the incantation, and I watched as magic bound my and Newt's hands together. They were really willing to cast an Unbreakable Vow but what would they do when, after I passed, Newt was rendered unable to fulfil his vow. He'd die and I couldn't possibly allow that. I attempted to pull my hand back from his but the magic was too powerful, keeping my hand clasped with his.

"Will you, Newton Artemis Fido Scamander, bind yourself to Miss Copeland in the means of the traditional blood binding?" Theseus asked and before I could process the first vow, I heard my mother gasp.

Newt's eyes never faltered from my own. I made one last effort to pull my hand from his, but his hold on me tightened. "I will."

It was too late. The first vow had already been made.

"Will you bind your soul to this woman for the rest of your life, for however long you shall live?"

"I will."

"Will you accept her as your wife and fulfil your duty towards her?"

My eyes flickered to the clock behind Newt's shoulder. "I will."

Thee ended the spell and I drew my hand away from Newt's, staring at it in sick awe. I could feel the magic beginning to move up my arm and travel slowly through my body. The binding magic of the vow fought with the centuries old curse and I gasped, my hand beginning to burn.

Looking to Newt's face, I found him watching me cautiously. It hadn't worked and now he was going to die alongside me because he wouldn't be able to keep his vow.

"What have you done," I murmured, despairing.

I pitched forward suddenly, eyes rolling into the back of my head as I slumped against his chest. The last thing I heard before losing consciousness was a sob.

The clock had struck 12.