Invisible String [t. s]

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"But along came a witch, who did do him a spell." Newt sang the next part a couple of seconds later.

"When the Muggle awoke he said 'dear woman, do tell, is it heaven I'm in or have I gone straight to-" They sang at the unison, smiling to each other until the Qilin trilled and both looked at her. "Came to think of it, that might have been one of Dad's old drinking songs." Theseus added.

"That's remarkable." Said Newt. "They're very consent to human contact, you know, unless they sense an affinity."

"And she senses an affinity with you, does she?"

"Yes."

"Well, there you have it. We are brothers after all, Newt." Newt sighed and he made up his mind quickly.

"Come on." Newt stood up fast to retrieve his coat and change his clothes.

"What?" Couple minutes later, he came back. Fresh clothes on and his face washed. "Where?"

"I have to go to Scotland and you're coming with me." Newt came back with his blue coat on and went over to get his case.

"I need to head to the Ministry, I've got important business to do." Newt walked into the case with the Qilin and back out without her.

"This is just as important."

"Newt, I-"

"I'm trusting you with one of my secrets, Theseus. You want to know what I'm doing with a Qilin? You come along with me. Now, let's go." Newt grabbed his wand and walked out of the house, leaving the door open. Theseus didn't hesitate twice, he grabbed his blazer and his coat, threw them on and followed behind Newt, whom locked the door when his brother had reached his side.

"So, are we going to the specific spot in Scotland that I'm thinking?"

"More or less." He offered his hand, which Theseus took. In a matter of seconds, they were standing on a snowy hill, Theseus recognised the buildings in the distance immediately.

"So...I don't suppose you'd like to tell me what this is about, would you?" He asked once they started to reach the entrance of the Hogsmeade village.

"He just asked us to meet and that I be sure to bring you."

"Right." Newt nodded. "Wait, who are we meeting?"

"Dumbledore." Theseus scoffed.

"Of course." He chuckled. "So that's why he asked me to check in on you, right?"

"I suppose so. Yes." After walking for a couple minutes in which both felt as if their noses and hands would fall off, they arrived at a bar, the Hog's Head and walked in.

"Here to meet my brother, I expect." Said a rough and low voice all of the sudden, causing both Scamander's to turn around.

"No, sir. We're here to see Albus Dumbledore." Newt told the man as Theseus warmed up his hands. He had black hair and a beard, he was cleaning the mirror and was watching them through it.

"That would be my brother."

"Oh, sorry. I'm, um...brilliant." He extended a hand to greet him. "I'm Newt Scamander, this is Theseus-"

"Up the stairs. First on the left." The man turned back around and Newt placed his hand down and into his pocket and walked upstairs after exchanging glances with Theseus, who just shrugged and rose his eyebrows before he looked coldly at the man for being rude to his little brother.

  They arrived at a studio with bookshelves and a window, it was cold, not too cold, for the fire was lit up. The walls were grey and not well looked after, for they had cracks on them and there was dust all over the bookshelves. Dumbledore was waiting inside all by himself.

"Dumbledore." Both Scamander boys greeted just to gain a formal head nod from their once teacher.

"Theseus, please close the door." Theseus did as he was asked and stood by the entrance while Newt walked up to Dumbledore to stand beside him. "Has Newt told you why you're here?"

"Was he meant to?" Theseus asked back as he placed his hands in his pockets.

"No." Albus laughed. "As a matter of fact." Theseus chuckled too.

"There's something that we, uh..." Newt started to speak. "That, uh, Dumbledore wishes to speak to you about." Dumbledore started playing with what seemed to be a necklace. "It's a proposal." A small silence fell upon them.

"Alright." Said Theseus and Dumbledore gave a few steps forward, showing Theseus the chain he had laced to his hand and wrist.

"You know what this is, of course." He said and Theseus nodded.

"Newt had it in...Paris." He cleared his throat, the country's name almost got stuck in his throat. "Can't say I have much experience with such things, but it looks to me to be a blood troth."

"That would be correct."

"And whose blood is contained within?"

"Mine." Theseus nodded. "And Grindelwald's." Theseus' eyes went from Dumbledore's to Newt's and back to Albus.

"I'm assuming that's why you can't move against him?"

"Yes. Nor him against me."

"Can I ask what would possess you to make such a thing?"

"Love." The sudden response made Theseus gulp. "Arrogance. Naiveté. Pick your poison." Theseus blinked a few times. Love. He knew he'd do such thing for it. Even if it is his biggest fear. "We were young. We were going to transform the world."

"Mm."

"This ensured that we would, even if one of us had a change of heart."

"And what would happen if you were to fight him?" Dumbledore sighed and his eyes got lost admiring the blood troth, just staring at it.

"It's really quite beautiful, you have to admit." He looked at both brothers. "Were I to even think of defying it..." The pendant hummed and you could see how the both blood drops collided and the pearl turned as red as a ruby before it flew out of the chain. Theseus had to move aside as for it not to get stuck into his eye, instead, the pendant got stuck into the wall behind him, cutting the cement. "He knows, you see?" The chain started to wrap itself very tightly around his arm, moving up towards his neck.

"Albus." Newt called.

"He senses the betrayal in my heart."

"Albus." Dumbledore whimpered as the chain seemed to cut the skin of his neck. Theseus just looked with horror at what the troth was doing, the pain it inflicted on Albus, how he was choking. "Albus!" Dumbledore finally snapped out of it and the pendant flew back into his hand, he recovered his breath and the chain went loose, Theseus released a breath he hadn't noticed was holding.

"That would be the least of it." Said Dumbledore as the ruby turned back into a pearl. "Young man's magic but, as you can see, powerful magic. It can't be undone." He turned around and faced the portrait of a young woman, she had a worried frown.

"So, this proposal...I take the Qilin has something to do with it?" Asked Theseus.

"He promises he won't tell a soul." Newt told Albus, who remained silent a couple seconds and breathed in.

"If we are to defeat him, the Qilin's only part of it. The world as we know it is coming undone. Gellert's pulling it apart with hate, bigotry. Things that seem unimaginable today will seem inevitable tomorrow if we don't stop him. Should you agree to do what I ask, you'll have to trust me. Even when every instinct tells you not to." Theseus meditated for a second, looked at his brother once again and sighed.

"Let's hear it."