Chapter 15

"Whoosh!" In a flash, the Headmaster and Noelle arrived.

"Let me see him," Dumbledore asked firmly.

"He's in the case," she replied, "I'll disapparate him. Wait two seconds," she jumped back down and closed the lid.

"Oh, Newt," she sighed lovingly, stroking her hand through his hair. "I can't believe you are unconscious," she felt the guilt flowing through her veins. "I have the chance," she muttered, "Might as well take it. Well, until you wake, Magizoologist, sweet dreams,"

The next thing she knew, she was grazing her lips against his, her unfailing gesture of yearning she couldn't hold back. She stroked his hand tenderly before disapparating with him out of his wonderland, knowing that all will occur pleasantly.

"Here he is!" she hyperventilated, blood rushing through her cheeks, her eyes wide.

"Thanks," he replied. He pulled a magnifying glass out of his cloak and began to inspect Newt, who was now lying on one of the hospital beds.

"Do you know what caused this?" Dumbledore questioned.

"Uh…" she hesitated, "It was my doing," she twirled her hair. "I showed him my cat, Mittenfudge, and…"

"He's highly allergic!" he remarked sternly, pointing at Newt's fatigued but swollen face, his head lopsided on the pillow.

"Well, you can fix it can't you?" she questioned.

"Yes, but no," he replied mysteriously.

"What do you mean?" she further questioned, with a hint of agony in her voice.

"I can't fix it, but hopefully the nurses can," he commented, "We can only hope for the best, hoping you didn't kill him because of that fluffy cat of yours," he remarked cynically.

"Of course I didn't kill him! He's still alive!" she retaliated with fury.

"Well, although your words are more important than your deeds, you may regret them," he solemnly commented.

Madam Pomfrey walked briskly to the scene, staring at the crimson, swollen boy before her.

"Oh good Lord!" she exclaimed, breaking the silence between the two. One guilty, the other cynical.

"Immediate treatment," she muttered. "Poor fella must've been stung by a bee or something,"

"Actually, Poppy," the Headmaster spoke up, "That poor boy was nearly killed by a cat!" he enunciated, staring at Noelle with intensity, her shoulders sagging at the Headmaster's intimidation.

"I'll grab the ointments, then," she dawdled off slowly, rubbing her hands together.

The pair remained to stare at the puffy figure in front of them, wading through awkward silence, no signs of movement from Newt.

"I've obtained the ointments!" Pomfrey sprinted back, smirking, carrying a tray of a clear, gelatinous looking substance. "Ok…" she muttered.

"What's that?" Noelle inquired.

"This is the ointment!" she enunciated sarcastically, "I'll just need to apply it like so…" she grabbed the tray of gelatinous substance and tipped it over Newt's body.

The pair were mesmerised by Pomfrey's practices, waiting for Newt's reaction.

At that moment, his body began to shake. Jolt. Vibrate. Stir.

Noelle gasped quietly, cupping her hands over her mouth.

"Argh!" he yelled in agony, "It burns!" His eyes opened immediately, thanks to the shock. He didn't want to stare at his surroundings, so he decided to close them again. Pomfrey immediately rushed to his side, removing some of the gelatinous ointment from him.

"Oh…" he groaned, recovering from the searing sensation he just received. "Oh…" he groaned again, raising his hands and moving his limbs, in hope of gaining regular circulation.

"Newt!" Theseus sprinted into the room, with Leta by his side. "Are you alright?" he panted, worried for his brother's health. Newt's eyes jolted awake at the sound of his brother.

"I'm fine," he sighed. "Thanks." he nodded to his brother with gratitude. "I was shocked back to consciousness with whatever I've been soaked in," he gestured to the remains of the mixture plastered to his skin.

"Amazing," Theseus commented, sighing with relief.

Whilst Theseus was accompanying Newt, Leta surveyed their conversation, only to notice another girl standing next to her.

"Oh!" she gasped quickly, turning her head to face her, "Who are you?"

"I'm Noelle. Newt's friend. You?"

"Leta. Theseus' friend. Nice to meet you."

They awkwardly stared at each other for a few minutes before Leta spoke up, confused,

"What's happened to Newt here?"

"You'll know in a minute," she replied mysteriously, pursing her lips. "You know him?" she questioned.

"Yeah. Also my friend."

For Newt, many of the events before his awakening were all a streaked blur. He could only stare at Noelle for a few seconds before it all came flooding back.

"You?!" he stared quizzically, "You're the one that…"

"Yeah. I know." she smiled apologetically, "The person who put you in that dreadful state."

Leta gasped with shock.

"You caused this?!" she exclaimed, staring at the horrible condition he was in.

"Yeah." she rubbed her arm anxiously, "It was an accident," she informed her.

"No. There's something else," he replied, racking his brain. "Oh yeah! You're the one who kissed me!"

"Um…" she paused.

"How did he know that?!" her brain screamed.

"I think you are looking for someone else…" she replied nervously, twiddling her thumbs.

"I remember that in great detail…" he sighed dreamily, his cheeks blooming with colour. "You said it yourself!"

"Well, until you wake, Magizoologist, sweet dreams," he recalled. "And then you kissed me."

Leta covered her mouth with her hands before exchanging glances with Theseus, who was smiling at her.

"He finally found someone!" their eyes telepathically signalled to each other. Leta's eyes conveyed surprise and shock. On the other hand, Theseus' eyes conveyed joy.

"Um…" Noelle hesitated further, frazzled and confused on what to say. "Yes… That was me…" she admitted.

"Now… You have my case, don't you?" Newt recalled.

"I do." she replied shortly, "Here it is." She handed the case over to him as he turned the gold lock fastened on it. Suddenly, to his surprise, Mittenfudge leapt out and jumped onto Newt's face.

"OH GOD!" he screamed, "Get it off! Get it off!" he yelped with anxiety, his voice becoming raspy.

Pomfrey sent a plastic bag to them to capture Mittenfudge before it could spread any more fur. Theseus held the bag, ready to seize the black fur-ball that was causing Newt harm.

Leta and Theseus both pointed their wands at him and shouted, "EMOVEO!"

The cat instantly flew over to them as Theseus caught Mittenfudge with the plastic bag in mid-air. Everyone at the scene breathed a sigh of relief, with Newt breathing a raspy one. Those sighs of relief were combatted minutes later by quiet gasps.

Newt began juddering rapidly, his body inflating with crimson patches. His eyes were rolling now, the red veins bold like lightning. Newt was experiencing never-ending torture. His lips motioned to speak but they were swelling uncontrollably, much like the rest of his body. Never-ending torture.

"NEWT!" Theseus yelled as he rushed to his brother's side, squeezing his hand, attempting to stop the convulsion.

"Newt, just in case you don't make it, you are the best brother I've ever had, the only one in fact." Tears streamed down his face, the pain and agony that his brother was facing overwhelming him. "You have the most compassionate heart for your creatures as well as those you care about," he smiled at Noelle, squeezing his hand even more.

Just as Theseus thought everything would stop, with his brother slowing down and recovering, the opposite came.

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