The Next Move:

Lorna followed Aberforth outside. "Uncle…Uncle?" she saw Aberforth leaning shakily against the locked-up Honeydukes, clutching a burnt feather. She approached him gently; he didn't turn to her. "What's wrong?"

"I have a son," he spoke peevishly

His niece blinked. But then she realised something. "Its Credence isn't it," He didn't need to answer. "Did you know this all along?"

"No. The summer my love was sent away, I heard rumours she had given birth. I searched for her. I never saw her again. And I never found him," he was shrivelled with feelings of fault and tremor. "And now I've learnt he doesn't have much time left,"

"What do you mean?"

Aberforth turned around and faced her, showing her the feather. "Phoenix ash. The bird comes to him because he's dying,"

Lorna was appalled. "I'm so sorry uncle,"

"What I don't understand…is how Tom's Obscurial isn't killing him. Why does my son poison him while he remains strong?'"

"Perhaps it is because Tom's Obscurial hasn't existed for as long as Credence's. And unlike him…Tom was surrounded by love much sooner in his life. It became his force of protection than a plague of poison,"

"If Albus had been a better brother, a better friend…"

"You have no right to blame my father for your troubles. Just like you have no right to hold him responsible for what happened to Arianna that night. You know it was you who started that fight that night," Lorna was gentle but firm with her words. She had grown tired of her uncle's constant resentment of her father for the death of the aunt she never knew. "What's past is past. And what matters now is what we do now. A fight is coming to us soon and we need you. Your son needs you,"

Aberforth said no words back but his emotional face made his niece reach over and clutch his shrivelled hand.

Tom sat on the outskirts of the village, heartbroken, Cheelo chirping beside him and Bobo in his pocket trying to comfort him.

"I can't take it anymore," Nine-year-old Tom cried in his bed. "I'm so scared,"

"It's all right Tom," Credence comforted him with a hug. "I'm here. I'll always be here,"

"I don't know what I would do if you weren't here,"

"Hey. I'm with you till the end,"

"Promise?"

"Promise," as Credence embraced him tightly, Tom snuggled into his arms, feeling less alone than he had felt before.

He sighed. Cheelo saw how despondent he was and purred. He turned his head and looked into her kind soft eyes. He opened his arms and she climbed up onto his lap so he could stroke her.

Newt walked down the stairs and saw nearly everyone was preparing to leave. "Is Dumbledore all right?" asked a concerned Lally.

"He's fine," he said. He noticed two certain people were missing. "Where are Lorna and Tom?"

"They went outside," said Tina. "We should all head to our rooms in the village. We've got a big day tomorrow,"

Everyone except the children stood up and headed towards the door.

"It was wonderful to meet you guys," waved Lucille.

"I really like you two," Jacob shook hands with them. "Tom is so lucky to have friends like you two,"

"That means a lot coming from you," said Ron. "And you're the luckiest Muggle in the whole world,"

"Why thank you, Sir Weasley," said Jacob making him beam. He left the pub with the others and Newt who eyed his son's footprints leading to the outskirts of town. As everyone went off to their rooms to rest for the night, they heard snow crunching behind them and saw Lorna and Aberforth arriving back.

"Is he all right?" Lorna asked.

Newt nodded. "Talk to him. He'll need it," she nodded. "Is Tom all right?"

"He's just upset. That message…"

Newt sighed. Tina comforted him. "I could talk to him," Nagini offered, stepping out into the cold.

"If you could that would help a lot," Newt appreciated.

A carriage arrived pulled by an invisible creature which the four could see, a Thestrals seen only by those who had seen death. McGonagall was on it. "I'm here for the children," Ron and Lucille wrapped up warm again and stepped out into the open. "Where is Tom?"

"He's sulking somewhere," Ron said. Lucille elbowed him. "What?"

"Well, I need to bring you all back to the castle," she said.

"I'll get him," Nagini walked off. She wiped her eyes in irritation. "Mann, this is why I told Dumbledore not to allow you three to have dinner here,"

Tom stroked Cheelo as she nestled in his arms. Snow crunched behind him He twisted his head and saw it was Nagini. "Hi,"

"Are you okay?" she sat down beside him.

"No," he shook his head.

"Tom…I'm sorry that these past few days have been so difficult for you…but I want to let you know that I'm here for you,"

"There's nothing you can do that'll make this feeling go away. Twice he's attacked me. Twice he has tried to harm me to get what he wants. He's not the same loving brother he was when he found me and took care of me. And it's my fault,"

"No, Tom. You're just going through a hard time," Nagini tried to comfort him but he stood up, turning his back on her in self-doubt.

"He's right to be mad at me. I got him into so much trouble and it prolonged his pain. Perhaps if I tried harder, he wouldn't have joined Grindelwald, that baby Qilin wouldn't have been abducted and he wouldn't have had the chance to rise to power and harm everyone else," he began to cry. "All of what's happening is because of me…because of the choices I've made," he gently placed the pitiful Cheelo on the ground and covered his mouth as he scrunched his eyes.

"Shut up," Nagini ranted.

"What?" he turned his head.

"You're talking crazy," Nagini stood up and faced him. "You're too good to feel bad about yourself. I know that. And you should know that. You have true courage and a big heart. I've seen you get hit so many times but every single time you keep getting back up like it never hit you. That's who you are Tom. You're kind and good-hearted and you've never been afraid to do what's right for the people you love," her words brought a smile to his face. She felt her cheeks blushing. "Tom…you're the most amazing person I've ever met,"

Tom smiled. And then he leaned forward and gave her a quick kiss on the lips. He pulled back still smiling. She blinked. "Oh my. I..I…I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me,"

"Tom!" shouted a voice.

The two turned their heads to see a very impatient McGonagall standing near the carriage with Ron and Lucille loaded inside. "Time to go!"

"I'll…see you soon," Tom picked up Cheelo and boarded the carriage before it pulled away and out of the village, Nagini eyed them intensely. Tom looked out at her. Ron and Lucille turned their heads and shared thinking glances.

Lorna and Dumbledore sat tighter in the room with Arianna's portrait. It had become very emotional it broke Lorna's heart to see her father's heart so shattered from that awful day his Obscurial sister had died.

"Father, you cannot blame yourself for everything that has transpired. Something Lally told me…none of us is perfect but even if we make mistakes, we can try to make things right, and that's what matters,"

Dumbledore laced his fingers together and looked down. "I am truly sorry Lorna,"

"What for?"

"I feel that at times I have neglected how much you've tried to comfort me over my troubles,"

"No," Lorna reached over and touched his hands. He raised his wet eyes to meet hers that matched. "You could never. I know how much hardship has been on you. And it isn't right for that to happen. You could never hurt me in any way,"

Dumbledore remembered Tom's words back in Berlin. She didn't for a single moment he had overlooked her commitment to him. He was her father. And she loved him so much. He sat up straight and held her hands tenderly. "When Grindelwald left me, my heart was broken for a long, long time. I thought no light would come into my life again. But ever since I found you in that basket, you gave me a reason to love again. Without you, there would have been no joy or any purpose in my life. I owe you so much," As she sniffled, he stood up pulling her up with her and they shared a warm embrace of love and devotion.

Through the open door, Stephen observed them, feeling his own eyes wet at the sight. As they hugged and embraced, his mind bounced back to his childhood with his parents that was taken from him. Over her dad's shoulder, Lorna saw Stephen spying on them. She saw and felt his sadness as she looked into his eyes.

Newt and Tina had been given rooms at a nearby lodge, right near each other. Tina noticed Newt was a bit quiet. "You okay Mr Scamander?"

He nodded. "I'm just worried about what tomorrow's gonna bring. Before I wasn't afraid because I trusted Dumbledore. But now that we're back here and we're heading for the hornet's nest tomorrow in Butan…I'm worried,"

"Worried for what?"

"Of how this is gonna turn out. And I'm worried that Tom…Tom may yet be dragged again into this fight which he shouldn't have to," Newt couldn't contain his fear. "And I couldn't bear it if he suffered any more loss,"

Tina pursed her lips and approached him. "Newt…we will walk out of this fight alive. Just as long as we've got each other. You may not believe it or not, but Tom has an important role. He's always been important to this fight ever since you met him. It was no coincidence. It was meant to happen,"

"Do you think you'll be able to talk to Queenie?"

Tina hung her head again, shedding a tear. "At first before I was sure…but now…I don't know. Would she even look at me?"

Newt wiped it away. "She will. I know she will,"

Tina smiled. "Good night Newt," she went inside her room, leaving Newt staring at the closed door with blushed cheeks.

After checking on Nagini who had fallen asleep, Lorna went to Stephen's room to check on him. He sat near the fire. "You comfortable here?"

"It's perfect," he didn't turn to her; the flames were his sole focus.

She sighed and came to sit with him. "You know you can always talk to me,"

"Thank you," he still didn't look at her.

"I saw you spying on me and my father,"

"I wasn't spying. I was observing,"

"Still spying,"

He chuckled. "You're a hard woman to fool,"

She chuckled back. Calming down, she saw the pain in his eyes again. "I know how hard it is to be in a company like this. But you don't need to feel alone anymore,"

"It's hard to feel like that when you're very different,"

"My friends and I have more in common than some may think. You have many things in common with them too. You just don't know it yet. I've spent much of my time feeling alone as well. Just like you. But you are one of us now," Her words pulled Stephen's eyes to meet hers. "You have a chance to be more than people perceive you to be. And that's what matters,"

"I need to ask you something, Lorna. Why do you put so much faith in me? Even though you don't really know me,"

She leaned closer. "It's because I see a lot of myself in you,"

"I see myself in you too," he talked back. "And you remind me of my mother. She was just like you. She always believed our people could be accepted by those who were different from us. And she was right. You both were right. No matter what happens I will help you and your family win this fight against Grindelwald,"

The words he spoke made Lorna feel a tingle in her chest that she had never felt with anyone before. All her life she had felt alone. Even when she was with her family and closest friends. But talking right now to a wizard who was just like she made her feel less alone than she had ever felt in her life before. "Get some sleep," she bid. She stood up and left the room, but not before giving him one final glance which he returned a small smile.

The morning came early and Ron, Lucille and Nagini had been called to Professor Dumbledore's office. Ron was yawning so much that Lucille had to keep him away but pinching his arm which he highly disapproved of. "Ouch. Why do your pinches have to be so painful?"

"Because they're the only way to keep you awake,"

"You okay Nagini?" Ron had noticed she was rather quiet.

"I'm fine," she scooted ahead to avoid another question. The redhead noticed the blond lass's face was slightly stiff as her eyes were fixed on the blood-cursed witch ahead of them. Oh, dear. He told himself.

They entered the Defence against the Dark Arts classroom and head up some stairs to sit inside the office of the professor who awaited them. "Thank you all for coming. Now I know this is not something you'll all want to do, but I want you to know that the fate of the wizarding world may depend on it,"

"You can count on us professor," if completing this task meant missing lessons and doing something to help defeat Grindelwald then Ron was up for it.

"I need you three to each play a role. And no one, not even Tom can know anything about it,"

Ron became a little nervous.

"Please trust me," he implored.

"I'll do it," said Nagini. "For Tom," Though rather taken by his sudden kiss the other night and her blank reaction, in her heart she knew it was her place to stand beside him in this fight.

"So will I," said Lucille bravely.

"Me too," Ron wasn't afraid anymore. "If it means it'll help him in any danger, then I'm up for it. What do you need us to do?"

Tom was called to Dumbledore's office. When he entered inside, he saw Bunty and dumbledore. He held Cheelo gently. "I take it my father doesn't know?" he asked.

"It's important that he can't," Dumbledore implored. "Otherwise, this won't work,"

"You need to give me her," Bunty requested gently.

Cheelo looked nervously at Tom. "It's all right," he soothed. "Bunty will take care of you okay?" the Qilin licked his cheek meaning 'yes' and they nuzzled faces making Bunty beam with glee. He gently handed her over and Bunty walked off.

"Tom…" Dumbledore was nervous to speak. "I know that this is another mission which I know you won't…"

"Professor…I trust you deeply," said Tom committedly. "I believe in you. And I know it's what dad will know too. Whatever it is that you need me to do, I'll do it,"

The Scamander brothers, the Americans and the Magic Animagi walked through the hallways and they found themselves in a giant room with seven suitcases, all identical, and a spinning cylinder-like object floating in the air, with golden symbols of the Qilin.

"What is this place?" asked Jacob.

"The room we require," replied Newt.

Dumbledore walked inside. "I trust you all have the tickets that Lorna hasn't given you?" Everybody nodded. "You'll need them to attend the ceremony," The group eyed the seven suitcases. They all looked just like Newt's. "Can you identify which one is yours?"

"No. I can't," the Magizoologist answered.

"Good because I'd be worried if you did,"

"I take it our Qilin friend is inside one of these cases," observed Steven.

"Which one indeed," Dumbledore answered, a bit of a smirk on his face.

"Oh, it's like a three-card monte thing. Like a shell game thing. Like a short con," Jacob's explanation made everyone confused. "Never mind it's a muggle thing,"

"I got what you were saying. And you are right," said Stephen.

"Grindelwald will do anything within his powers to get his hands on our rare friend. Therefore, it's essential we keep whomever we dispatch on his behalf guessing so the Qilin gets to the ceremony safely. If by tea time, the Qilin – not to mention all of us – are still alive, we should be considered our effort a success," the faithful Dumbledore swung on his scarf and hat.

"For the record, no one ever died playing three-card monte," Jacob piped up nervously.

Dumbledore smiled. "An important distinction. All every one, choose a case and we'll be on our way. Mr Kowalski, you, and I will process together first,"

"Me? Okay," Jacob picked up a case and then stepped forward.

He offered an arm. "I look forward to you teaching me a little further in the finer points of three-card monte,"

"My pleasure," Jacob took his arm.

"Dumbledore, can't I say goodbye to Tom first before we go?" requested Newt.

"I'm afraid he can't right now. But don't worry, you'll see him soon," the moment Dumbledore touched the spinning cylinder, he and Jacob disappeared into the wheel as it rapidly spun, and the Muggle's squeals echoed against the room's walls.

Tina picked up one. "Well, wish me luck everyone," she turned her back

"Tina…" Newt walked up to her as she turned around. "Be careful. And no matter what happens, just go up to Queenie and talk to her. I know she'll listen,"

"You be careful too Mr Scamander," she prayed. She quickly kissed his cheek and she disappeared into the spinning wheel. He blushed.

"Oo la la," teased Lorna. She picked up another one. "See you on the other side," she disappeared out of the room. Stephen went next. Then Lally.

"Are you going to proceed with the mission Newt?" Theseus's question snapped Newt out of his thoughts.

"Oh right. Yes. Sorry," he apologised. After watching his brother pick his case up and following the others, he picked up his case and disappeared out of the room too, his constant thoughts of Tom being in his arms after all of this was over fuelling his determination to help win this fight.

A moment passed and the room was silent with only the ringing of the cylinder's spinning. The doors opened and Tom came inside carrying a suitcase identical to everyone else's. He saw the spinning cylinder's spin pattern slowing down. He walked forward and upon touching it, felt his mind zipping all over the place.

He landed with a thump on a floor of solid ground. He stood up, wiped his sleeves, and found himself in a street surrounded by tall white Chinese buildings. Butan.

Another chapter is done. What did you all think? I hope you all loved it. And that surprise kiss that Tom gave to Nagini. How very unexpected. I hope you're all enjoying this. Just two chapters to go. Should be able to finish this next week. See you all soon.