Theseus could only watch in shock, anger and sorrow. He buried his head in his hands, quietly sobbing. Leta rested her hand on his shoulder.
"Look, Theseus. It's gonna be alright. He's just…" she hesitated greatly, "Unwell…"
"Of course!" he mocked her, continuing to sob, "Just unwell. He's gone flipping unconscious! Twice! He might not make it out alive…" he began rubbing his watery eyes with his sleeve. "He might not make it…"
His grief fuelled anger, his thought processes running wild:
My brother might die…
My grieving isn't over…
Well. Who caused this grieving? A bloomin' cat! And her owner… Noelle Silverliner.
HELP ME! I can't be suffering like this…
"God!" he shook his head violently, "God!" he muttered again.
"I… I'm sorry…" Noelle spoke up solemnly.
"Sorry is not enough," he muttered. "Why have you done this?" he cried, pacing the hospital wing.
"It was an accident!" she pleaded childishly.
"An accident." he quietly spoke. "My brother can't die because of an accident." A mixture of grief and anger swirled in his voice, his fists opening and closing.
"Theseus," Leta whispered, watching his emotions unfold.
"My brother deserves to be alive," he spoke. "My brother has been unloved and mistreated. He deserves more. I can't let him die."
I can't let him die.
He halted in his tracks. An idea, along with another emotion overcame all his other emotions. All the rage. All the grief. All the horror. All the separation.
Hope.
"Ok…" he whispered to himself, his eyes travelling from the swollen boy to his wet, sweaty, shaking hands.
The two girls glared at him with curiosity. Dumbledore left, his patience over.
"I'll become the doctor!" his brain whispered triumphantly, "I'll do it. I'll save him."
"Check his pulse! Check his pulse!" he suddenly instructed the girls, who were stuck to the spot. "Check his pulse!" he repeated.
The two girls rushed to his side, Leta at his neck, Noelle at his wrist.
"Anything?"
"Nothing here…" Noelle said blankly.
"Unfortunately nothing here either…" Leta replied.
"Keep it up. I know he's there," he said confidently, striding the room now.
"Nothing…" Leta stated.
"Anything from you, Noelle?" he questioned.
And that's when she felt it. Travelling through his veins and up to her fingers.
Pitter-patter, pitter-patter, pitter-patter.
"Yes!" she cried with relief and enthusiasm.
"HE'S ALIVE!" he yelled. "Holy shit. He's alive," he whispered, his hands cupping his mouth. "Ok. Where's the movement? Check his five senses. Sight, smell, taste, touch, hearing." he listed. "Noelle, you go first. Pick a sense."
"Hey, Newt. Can you hear me?" she asked him. No response. "Hearing's out." she reported.
"Leta." he gestured to her.
"Newt. Do you feel this?" She squeezed his hand. Pause. A stir of breath.
"He's breathing," she replied shortly.
"Do it again." he marshalled. "We need to hear a noise. We need him."
As instructed, she squeezed his hand again. This time, harder, trying to encourage a reaction.
"Come on…" Theseus muttered. "Any moment now."
"Ah…" A quiet groan from the patient.
"Alright!" Theseus cried enthusiastically. "Noelle. Try another sense. He's waking up."
"Um…" she hesitated. "The easy ones are out," she replied.
"Come on!" he said angrily to her, "Anything! Try anything!" he instructed.
She fashioned up a piece of blue cheese. "Everyone dislikes the smell of blue cheese," she muttered.
"Hey Newt." she tried again. "What's this grotesque smell?" she questioned, a hint of playfulness in her voice.
"Oh…" he muttered, finally coming to his senses. "Blue cheese," he replied, not opening his eyes.
"Great. Now let him wake up on his own," he instructed, beckoning the girls to stand back.
Eyes open. Eyes closed. Eyes open. Eyes closed. He didn't want to return to the real world, he wanted to belong in his unconscious state. He realised the mistake his brain made immediately.
"The real world is where I belong," he whispered to himself, the trio just within earshot of hearing him. Eyes open.
"NEWT!" Theseus cried with relief, flinging his arms around him. Newt chuckled quietly.
"You're alive," he whispered.
"I am," he replied. "Fully alive."