Midnight, Dorset.
On an unremarkable hillside stood an ordinary little wooden cabin.
Inside, a trapdoor on the floor creaked open.
An elderly man with curly hair emerged from below.
"Time to sleep after moon-gazing, little one," he said softly, gently stroking the baby Niffler in his arms, teasing the tiny creature with a playful tone.
Whoosh—
A burst of brilliant, fiery flames suddenly erupted in the cabin.
Before the flames faded, a majestic, crimson bird soared out from within.
"Fawkes!"
The old man exclaimed, his face lighting up with joy. It had been ages since he'd seen this rare phoenix.
While soothing the startled Niffler in his arms, he took the envelope Fawkes delivered:
"Dear Newt Scamander,
How have you been lately…"
Yes, this curly-haired man cradling a Niffler was none other than Newt Scamander, the author of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and the world's most renowned expert on magical creatures.
"Newt, it's so late—who's sending you letters at this hour?"
At the sound of the voice, Newt quickly tucked the half-read letter behind his back, spinning around.
"Oh, uh, Tina, why are you still up so late?"
"It's… just a friend," he stammered.
Tina glanced at the phoenix perched on the windowsill and said calmly, "It's Fawkes."
Newt nodded instinctively but caught himself and shook his head vigorously.
Tina couldn't help but chuckle at her husband's inability to lie, even after decades together. With an exasperated sigh, she said, "Newt, if Dumbledore just wants to catch up, I'd be delighted. But…"
Her tone sharpened, her frustration clear. "When has he ever reached out without dragging you into something dangerous? Like that whole Grindelwald business…"
Newt didn't dare argue. He muttered under his breath, "Well, I did volunteer…"
"Volunteer?" Tina's voice rose. "Sure, you chose to help, but every step you took, every decision you made, was part of Dumbledore's grand plan! 'Newt, you know why I admire you? You don't care about fame, only about doing what's right.' Please! He's just roping you into doing his dirty work for free!"
"Here's the deal," she continued. "I'll read the letter first. If it's just friendly chit-chat, I'll read it to you. But if it's about some dangerous nonsense, I'm pretending I never saw it."
Newt hesitated, clearly reluctant. Tina softened her tone. "Newt, you're not young anymore. Our grandson's almost off to Hogwarts in a few years. Please, no more risky adventures, okay?"
After a moment's pause, Newt nodded and handed her the letter.
Tina opened it and began to read, her expression growing stranger with every line. She seemed skeptical that this was truly from Dumbledore, though the unmistakable presence of his phoenix left no room for doubt.
"Er, you'd better read it yourself," she said, passing the letter back to Newt.
He scanned it carefully. Beyond the usual pleasantries, Dumbledore was only asking on behalf of a student about the complexities of using the Extension Charm to house living creatures.
"Studying the Extension Charm, huh? Must be a senior student prepping for their N.E.W.T.s," Newt mused. "No mention of their name or house, but they've got to be a gifted one."
Newt knew how tricky the Extension Charm was, especially when it came to containing living beings.
"As long as it doesn't involve sharing family secrets, I'd be happy to help Dumbledore and this young scholar," he said, glancing at Fawkes.
The phoenix was elegantly preening its feathers, seemingly waiting for Newt's reply.
---
Outside the Forbidden Forest
Compared to where he'd tested his transfigured pocket watch before, Lucien ventured a bit deeper into the forest this time. After checking with Hagrid, he knew this area was relatively quiet, with few magical creatures around.
"System, how long until the little Qilin wakes up?"
[One minute.]
Lucien paced, pulling out an assortment of vegetables, fruits, and herbs from his bag—food for Luster , the Qilin, who fed on the essence of plants.
He also retrieved a large jar of water from the bottom of the bag, pure dew he'd collected at dawn and dusk. The misty, damp climate of this place made gathering dew easy.
Man, this minute is dragging.
[Ding! The pet growth loan has fully activated. The Qilin, Luster , has officially entered its growth phase.]
At the system's prompt, Lucien eagerly released the young Qilin.
Boom!
Crimson-golden flames roared skyward, flooding the clearing with radiant light.
Lucien noticed the flames avoided him entirely, leaving only a gentle warmth on his skin. But as he glanced around, the ground was melting, sand and stone crumbling, and nearby trees were reduced to ash in seconds. The sheer heat of those flames was terrifying.
A clear, ethereal cry echoed from within the fire.
The flames parted, and a majestic, cloud-wreathed creature stepped forward. It was tall and graceful, with a dragon-like head and two smooth, jade-like horns sprouting from its brow. Its body shimmered with delicate, golden scales, and flowing, crimson-gold mane cascaded from its neck and shoulders like wisps of cloud. Its eyes sparkled like the purest crystal.
"Luster ?" Lucien asked tentatively.
"Master! I missed you so much!"
One moment, the Qilin was the picture of divine elegance; the next, it bounded forward, just like when it was a tiny thing, aiming straight for Lucien's arms.
Lucien's face paled in panic. You little rebel!
He dodged just in time, avoiding the Qilin's enthusiastic tackle.
Well, little wasn't quite right anymore—Luster was a full-grown Qilin now, bigger than a deer but smaller than a horse. Definitely not something you could cuddle in your arms!
Lucien eyed the rounded horns on Luster 's head. They might not be sharp, but he wasn't keen on getting headbutted either.
"Master, don't you want me anymore?" Luster 's big, watery eyes locked onto him, its voice—still adorably childish—ringing in his mind.
Lucien's heart melted. With a resigned sigh, he stepped forward and gently wrapped his arms around Luster 's neck, stroking its forehead like he used to when it was small.
Luster nuzzled him back, clearly delighted. Its mane was soft and warm, comforting Lucien as much as he comforted it.
Letting go of its neck but keeping a hand on its forehead, Lucien smiled. "Luster , you've grown up."