TYNE THOUGHT SHE WOULD NEVER SEE HOGWARTS AGAIN. After years of being denied her freedom, to step back on the castle grounds felt surreal. It was still as beautiful as ever, despite the circumstances surrounding their visit. It was early dawn, leaving the grass covered in fresh dew, and the birds sang wonderful little songs that echoed in the air. Across the way, the Black Lake was still with the exception of little ripples here and there, as curious creatures surfaced.

They had arrived early, Newt, Jacob, Tina, Nagini, Kama, Travers, Garrick, and of course, Tyne accompanied them, flanking Theseus' side. His hold on her hand hadn't loosened since they left had arrived that morning and she didn't mind it at all. It was almost as if they were holding each other up and by the looks of the group, everyone needed someone to lean on. They were exhausted, beaten down, and distraught after everyone had lost someone to Grindelwald just hours prior.

Albus Dumbledore clearly had been anticipating their arrival as he stood within the viaduct of Hogwarts. She hadn't seen her former professor in years, but it wasn't the time for reunions. They were there on official business, all pertaining to Grindelwald, who had managed to escape.

It was Newt who took the lead to approach Dumbledore and as he did, Travers went to stop him, but Theseus stopped Travers first.

"I think it's best if he speaks to him alone."

Travers looked ready to protest but was silenced by the look Theseus gave him. Once again, Theseus had shown better leadership when it came to the situation they had faced before, it was Travers' orders that had led to a fiasco.

Behind them, stood the remaining Aurors that had survived the horrible evening. While their wounds had been healed on the surface, the trauma read on their faces. Too many lives had been lost because of the lack of planning. Theseus had tried to manage but there was little he could do under Travers' orders.

Taking a step back, Travers' stayed put, allowing Newt to approach Dumbledore on his own. And while the two men conversed, Tyne gently pulled her hand away from Theseus'. Immediately, he turned to face her, a worried expression washing across his face. She only offered a smile, silently reassuring him that she wasn't going to go far.

She had no plans to disappear again.

Walking the grounds once more brought back so many pleasant memories, from sitting outside on a warm day in between classes or catching a glimpse of the Giant Squid when it surfaced to sunbathe in the mornings. But as she continued walking, Tyne ended up in one place that left her with a smile.

The Quidditch Pitch.

Nothing had changed about it, the hoop goals still looked the same as did the stands. It was empty though, not a student or faculty member to be seen. Tyne could remember the day of matches where the stands would be filled with students and professors all there to cheer on their respective houses or just cheering along for fun.

Back when she was stuck in Arcanus tank, she remembered daydreaming about being out on the pitch, just to bring herself somewhere pleasant when she was going through hell. As people tapped on the glass, she ignored them as she found herself back on her broomstick, chasing after the Quaffle to score. It was always so horrible to be brought back to reality especially as she was demanded to perform.

But thankfully, no one had taken away her memories, so she survived through those.

The sound of footsteps approaching her from behind caused her heart to skip a beat before she glanced over her shoulder and caught sight of Theseus approaching her. He looked around the Quidditch Pitch as well, a small chuckle escaping him before he looked at Tyne.

"I remember when you used to play," he said, " you always managed to get filthy out there. I never understood how you did it because you were playing in the air, not on the ground."

Tyne didn't respond but he did manage to make her smile again. She felt his hand slowly grab a lock of her hair and tuck it behind her ear. She shivered slightly and not from the cold air, but rather from the pleasant sensation of his touch.

They had yet to discuss what had taken place back in France. Theseus confessing his love when there was a chance they would never get the chance to talk to one another again. Tyne certainly hadn't forgotten because every time she looked at Theseus, she thought her heart was going to explode inside her chest. He loved her, he made that very clear. But the way he held onto her when it was all over in the cemetery, the way he kept looking at her to make sure she was alright, it was also clear, that he was very much in love with her as well.

Merlin knew she loved him too, more than anyone the world after the death of her mother.

However, there was a fear to say it back to him right away. It wasn't so much due to the fear of rejection, it was the fear of losing everything all over again. There was a war ahead of them, Grindelwald was not going to go down without a fight. Lives were going to be lost, there had already been deaths up to that point.

To get a second chance with Theseus, Tyne had to thank Leta Lestrange for everything she had sacrificed, including her life. But it was Leta's death that showed that they could lose one another in just a split second.

"Dumbledore has invited us all inside for some tea and rest," Theseus said, "just before Basil showed up. He was practically in hysterics when he saw that Newt was alright. I don't know if they'll be joining us but I think some hot tea sounds nice right about now, don't you?"

"Yes," Tyne nodded, " it does sound nice, I'll be right there."

Theseus frowned slightly, believing that she would accompany him back to the castle, but he respected the idea of giving her the distance she needed as he turned to head back.

Hearing how Basil had reacted upon seeing Newt left Tyne to stand still and think for a minute. Leta had not sacrificed her life for others to stop living theirs. She wanted others to be happy and what dishonour Tyne would bring to the woman's memory if she simply lived the rest of her life fearing the "what ifs." She had been given a second chance, and even if the war ended in the way she feared the most, she could make the most out of the time she was given.

"Theseus!"

Turning around after she called his name, Tyne saw that Theseus had come to a sudden halt and faced her. A surge of confidence soared through her body as she thought about all the times she wanted to tell him that she liked him back when they were only teenagers.

"I love you!"

"What?!"

Even in the distance, she could see how wide his eyes had become, making her laugh.

"I said I love you!"

Just to clarify that he was hearing her correctly, Theseus hurried back over to where she was standing.

"I'm sorry, I didn't-"

Tyne reached out and grabbed the sides of his face gently. " I love you, Theseus Scamander, I always have and I always will."

Before Theseus could question her again, Tyne took it upon herself to draw Theseus into a kiss. One she had been dreaming about since she was a girl, and one she daydreamed about to escape from her previous reality. His face was smooth and his lips were soft, just as she imagined them to be. And when he kissed her back, he embraced her, a quiet reiteration that he was never going to let her go.

"I love you too," he whispered against her lips. "I won't let anything happen to you ever again. I'm going to protect you with my life, do you understand?"

"I'm going to do the same for you."

Tyne wanted her life back. She wanted to do everything she had set out to do before she had been taken against her will. And if Grindelwald was going to get in the way of her plans, he had another thing coming if he thought it was going to be easy.

A/N: Hello everyone! Thank you so much for reading. This is the end of the first part of Tyne's and Theseus' story. Of course, when the next instalment of Fantastic Beasts is released, you bet their story will continue. For now, we leave off with our soft babies sharing in a happy ending, but we'll see how long that lasts. :) And when the next book is released, I will announce it here and on my message board. Once again, thank you for taking the time to read this story. I hope you enjoyed it and I hope you enjoy what's to come.