Common Enemy || Theseus Scamander

08. Heart to Heart

wc: 1158
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You summoned all the strength you had inside you and punched your brother as hard as you could. You normally weren't one for unnecessary violence, but you decided it was a little necessary. He deserved it after letting you think he was dead for years.

Charlie doubled over and grunted in pain, and you felt no pity for the almost-stranger standing in front of you. His curly hair fell over his face and over his eyes that now stared up at you.

"That may have been deserved," he admitted, a hint of humor in his voice, but it faded as he saw the dark, angry look on your face. He glanced apprehensively at the duel happening just feet away from you as a curse flew between you.

You said nothing, waiting for him to explain himself, apologize, something. You had forgotten all about running at the sight of your brother so close to you after all this time. Questions whizzed throughout your mind, but you didn't make a sound. Just stared at him.

"Y/n," Charlie started, getting to his feet. "Grindelwald desires your presence in his castle. I've told him of your expertise in dark objects and—"

"Dammit, Charlie!" You shouted suddenly, cutting him off. He stared at you, confused, cautious. "I left that life behind! That isn't me anymore.  Not that you would know who I am now. I know you follow Grindelwald's ideologies. Is that where you've been all this time? Skulking about with that man? You were dead!"

Charlie's face fell for just a moment, but a dark expression returned in its place a second after, making you wonder if you even saw it. You thought you saw Mustache fall to the ground in the distance, which reminded you of the dire situation at hand. You quickly glanced around for Theseus too, and found him dueling two of Grindelwald's followers you didn't recognize. Worry once again crept up your body, but you tore your attention away from him and to your brother in front of you. Charlie's face held crazed, unblinking anger now.

"Grindelwald's interests are for the greater good!" He sneered, sending chills down your spine. "You couldn't possibly understand why I did what I did. He believes wizards should rise above the mindless muggles around us! Do you not want that? Do you not want them to suffer for what they've done to us?" You could hardly believe the bigotry spewing from his mouth. How did your sweet brother turn into this? "And what do you mean, you left that life behind? I promised him to bring you back! You know as well as I that one cannot just break a promise to Grindelwald, y/n." You didn't recognize the slightly deranged man in front of you. His words too smooth for your brother. These words were not his own, and as he spoke them, the coldness in his eyes unsettled you. No, this was no longer the brother you knew.

You felt your own anger rise as you spoke again. "You shouldn't have made that promise, then! And I don't want those things. I'm not a psychopath! Charlie, I mourned your death! For months! And you've turned into this... I don't even know who you are anymore. You're mad, Charlie. Can't you see he's brainwashing you?" You paused, but he said nothing, staring dead into your eyes with nothing even resembling love. You held in your angry outbursts, just barely managing to calmly ask, "Why?"

"Because I believe in a real cause, y/n," said Charlie, knowing he hit a nerve. Before you could come up with a retort, he grabbed your arm and attempted to apparate with you to who-knows-where.

You ripped your arm away, pointing your wand at him and silently begging him not to keep trying, but he immediately whipped out his own wand and fixed it on yourself. The two of you remained still for a long time, eyes locked, wands pointed, a conversation silently being exchanged as spells and curses flew around you. Each waited for the other to make a move in deadly anticipation. 

"You know I can't leave without you, y/n," he said finally, cocking his head.

"And you know I can't leave with you, Charlie. I won't." Both of you were silently begging there other to give in. To end his fight. There would be no going back after tonight.

You shook your head ever so slightly, and he moved so fast you barely had time to block his curse. He unceasingly fired flash after flash of spells and curses, and you barely had time to block  any of them.

"Think about what you're doing!" You yelled to him desperately over the sounds of duels and spells flying around you.

He only responded by sending spells even faster, over and over. You sunk to one knee, focusing all of your energy on deflecting this spell. When did he get so good at dueling?

"Come on, y/n/n. I'm not here to hurt you," he cooed, giving you chills from just his voice. The voice that was barely recognizable from your Charlie. You scoffed.

"If doesn't seem like that, Chuck," you retorted, causing him to falter. It was the nickname you and your mother used to call him. Before all of this. And definitely before he became a mindless, evil minion of Grindelwald. 

You seized your chance and began firing spells back at him, with more vigor than you knew you had in you. Throwing out everything you could think of. He barely kept up as you threw spells and curses back at him. He stumbled on the ice below you, still keeping his wand up, looking you unblinkingly in the eye.

"Don't do this, y/n," he pleaded, one last request before you both knew he would lose this battle.

"You don't have to go back to him, Charlie. You can come with us!"

He shook his head as if it pained him, and you thought you might've seen a tear roll down his face, his hand faltering just a little bit. No, your brother chose his side. And you chose yours. You seized your chance and fired one last spell to disarm him and knock him out.

You scanned the crowd once again to the place you knew Theseus last stood. You spotted him and ran over to him, hastily throwing spells at his attackers while grabbing his arm to apparate. His hand found yours, but neither of you really noticed it, your other senses being flooded with the battle around you.

You finally finished the two wizards before you, but just before you finally apparated away, you remembered Mustache and pulled Theseus around the maze of people and to the unconscious form of your friend. When you reached him, you spared no time seizing his arm and apparating back to the Scamander home.

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