Tom and Courtney met, as scheduled, in the morning. They were both up fairly early, so there were very few other people up and about. They went right down to breakfast, neither mentioning the thought that was on both of their minds.

Only when the two had entered the Great Hall, sat down at their table, dished themselves breakfast and were starting to eat was the subject brought up.

"So...you mentioned last night that you found something...?" Courtney asked after a short time.

Tom nodded as he swallowed what he had been chewing. "Yea. I think I found, OK, so I KNOW I found something. Something important."

Courtney waited, obviously expecting him to continue. "And?" she pressed when he didn't.

Tom hesitated, as if he were unsure that he wanted to tell her. He hesitated only a moment, however, then explained what he had learned briefly, leaving out a lot. He flashed her a grin.

"OK, so, over break, I did some more research on becoming immortal. I found a book in the unrestricted section of the library that caught my attention. So, naturally, I checked it out, then spent hours reading it cover-to- cover. Let's just say that now I know how to become immortal."

"Really? You know?" Tom nodded. "Well, how is it done?" Courtney asked enthusiastically.]

Again, Tom hesitated. "Well...all it takes is a fairly simple potion, among a... ummm... few other minor things." Tom appeared more than a little uncomfortable, earning him concerned looks from Courtney.

"You OK?"

"Yea, I am fine. It's just that...well...there is a part of the potion that... um... makes me a little uncomfortable. That's all... it makes me uncomfortable."

"What part makes you uncomfortable? Maybe-"

"It's nothing! I promise," Tom lied.

"OK... I was just going to say that maybe I should read this book... that way I can-"

"You don't want to read it...trust me. It is...er...rather disturbing in places."

"Read it and-"

"You don't want to read it."

"Try to understand-"

"You don't want to do that either."

"What you have to do," Courtney finished, glaring because of the interruptions.

"You want to read and understand? The lunacy of the idea! Wh-" Now it was Tom's turn to be interrupted.

"I want to read and understand. That is right. I think I have the right to, Tom, because your becoming immortal has something to do with my life, more closely than you may think. It will be a great change in my life, and you should know that! You are my boyfriend!! I love you, and you being immortal and me being mortal... that just won't work unless you tell me exactly how it is done! I am only going to be in your life for a small period of time after you become immortal, Tom. You don't seem to realize that. Unless, of course, I were to become immortal also..." Courtney trailed off, pondering her new thought.

"If only you knew how much it would affect you. If only you knew." Tom mumbled quietly. If Courtney heard him, she ignored him, but Tom doubted she had even ? Did you just say...?"

"Whatever, Tom. C'mon... let's go back to the Common Room and then you can fetch me that damned book."

"Er... Right. Courtney... what about what you found?"

"Oh... that. I just found some stuff on... er... how to lengthen a person's life... nothing big. What you found is much better."

They headed up to the Common Room and Tom hesitantly went to get the book. He knew that he would have to bring it to her sooner or later and figured that he might as well get it over with sooner. He came back into the Common Room from his dormitory and handed her the 'damned book'.

She took it from him, slightly surprised that he had actually given it to her without putting up all that much of a fight.

"Thanks, Tom." She smiled charmingly at him. "I will just have to read this tonight... and certain parts that are more important than others?"

"Er...no. None."

Courtney smiled again then took the book to a comfy chair (coincidently the same one Tom had been in) and started reading the book. Tom sighed then wandered back up to his dormitory and got his stuff ready.

Courtney read the book until just a few minutes before classes started, then she sprinted up to her dorm, grabbed her stuff, and came running back down. Her and Tom hurried to their first class, where Courtney read on the book every spare second she got.

By the end of the day, Courtney had finished the book. She met Tom at breakfast the next day with wide eyes.

"Tom, that book is kinda... er... weird. Are you really still thinking of becoming Immortal?"

"Yes... I am determined to."

"But... what if it doesn't work? Tom... you have to kill somebody to become Immortal! The book said after that that even then it is guaranteed that you will become Immortal."

"I know. I am willing to take the chance."

"Well... if you don't mind me asking, who would be your loved one that you had to... um... kill?"

"Oh... erm... I don't know yet," Tom lied. Courtney could tell by the way he was suddenly avoiding her eyes that she was the loved one. She was going to be forced to give her life so that Tom could live forevermore.

"Tom! This isn't fair! You would kill me for yourself! It isn't fair. It isn't fair. IT ISN'T FAAAIR!" She was screaming by the time she was done. Tom, who had been staring pointedly at his plate, looked up suddenly, and was surprised to see fat tears pouring like waterfalls down Courtney's cheeks. "I wanted to live my entire life with you, Tom. I don't want to give it up for your selfish wants! I'm not going to. I won't. You can't make me."

A quick glance around the Hall confirmed that everybody who was up was watching the couple with interest. Tom shot out of his seat and helped Courtney from hers, preparing to escort her back to the Common Room where they could talk with a bit more privacy. Courtney, however, didn't want to go back to the Common Room.

"Courtney, you are only going to succeed in embarrassing yourself! Stop it!" Tom hissed irritably in her ear. "Come on...let's talk about this up stairs. Come on."

"NOOOO!! I AM NOT GOOOIIING!!!" The teachers were starting to raise eyebrows now.

"OK, fine, Courtney, have it your way. But, for Merlin's sake, stop screeching like that!"

Courtney took a deep breath to try to calm herself, then another and another. The people who had been watching started to turn back to their food, the buzz of conversation starting back up. Tom sighed with relief.

"Tom... you aren't going to kill me, are you? You... you can't. Without me in your future... even if it is just for a little bit, I... you... we... oh! Chose somebody else, Tom. Chose somebody else!" Tears were rolling down her face again, but she was back to talking in a quiet voice.

"You don't understand. There is nobody else. There isn't another being on this world that I love. Not one. I'm sorry."

"I can make it so you don't love me too, you know. If need be, I will find you somebody you will love and let you sacrifice them for yourself... but I just want to spend all of eternity with you... nowhere but with you. I'm not ready to die. I'm not ready to die." She started mumbling her last sentence over and over to herself, somehow finding comfort in the words. Then she determinedly wiped the tears from her eyes, got up, and left.

Tom stared after her, still a little startled at her reaction. He knew he shouldn't have expected much different, but he had. He had expected her to just take the news with a nod, and understand. He had wanted that. Why couldn't she at least pretend? Tom chewed on his bottom lip thoughtfully before pushing his breakfast plate away from him and going to get his stuff for his first period.