Lucien stroked the qilin's forehead, feeling the smooth warmth of its short horns, and sighed with a mix of fondness and surprise.
"You've grown up so much—you're too big to scoop into my arms like before."
Luster tilted its head, clearly picking up on its master's words.
A swirl of auspicious clouds suddenly enveloped the qilin's body, spinning and shrinking it down in an instant.
Just like that, a pint-sized version of the qilin stood in midair, perched on those clouds. Its appearance hadn't changed, but its size was back to that of a youngling.
It hopped right into Lucien's arms and nuzzled his chest affectionately.
"You can change your size at will? Is this a new trick you picked up now that you're hitting your growth spurt?"
"That's right, Master."
Lucien was thrilled—such a handy ability! He ruffled the little qilin's mane, and it felt amazing, just like petting the lionhead cat he'd had in his past life.
"Luster, what other powers have you gained?"
The qilin leaped from Lucien's embrace and swelled back to its normal size.
"The main one is the purifying fire. These flames burn super hot, and they can burn away most common curses or poisons."
"Oh, and if I don't snuff them out on purpose, they can keep burning for a really, really long time..."
Lucien nodded as he listened to Luster's explanation.
The intense heat was already obvious from before—ordinary rocks, dirt, and trees went up in smoke almost instantly. The raw power outstripped a lot of wizards' flame spells, no question.
And it targeted curses and poisons? That must be why it's called "purifying fire"—cleansing the world's filth and evil.
As for burning forever if not put out... how long was "really long"? Sigh, Luster was still so young, its mind like a kid of just a few years old. Concepts like time were still pretty fuzzy for it.
Maybe he should start teaching the little qilin some basics. Wizard magic might be beyond it, but everyday knowledge? That'd be useful.
As he mulled this over, Lucien eyed Luster appraisingly.
After all, this was a divine beast—smart as a whip by nature. Picking up a bit of learning should be a breeze.
For some reason, the qilin suddenly shivered all over and let out a thin layer of flames to wrap around itself, but the chill wouldn't shake off.
Lucien jumped a little at the sight.
Whoa, that was a strong reaction.
Was it sensing good or bad intentions, like qilins could?
He was just thinking about teaching the kid some knowledge—how could that be bad?
"Luster, what else besides the purifying fire?"
"Master, there's also the auspicious clouds. They don't just let me walk on air—they can block sight and dull senses too."
The clouds under the qilin's feet spread out fast, forming a half-circle around Lucien.
Lucien focused, testing the changes.
Yeah, blocking the view was a given. Once the clouds enclosed him, outside sounds quieted down a ton, and even smells faded away.
Beyond the basics, he had to check magic—that was the wizard's go-to sense.
Simple enough: He fired off a casual spell through the clouds.
The connection, which had been crystal clear, turned all fuzzy once it hit the clouds.
This is awesome—it even weakens a wizard's magical perception!
Fighting in a cloud-filled area would really cramp a wizard's style.
"And Master, my scales and skin? They're immune to some spells. For the really powerful, dangerous ones, they weaken them a bit too, I think."
"Wanna give it a go, Master?"
Luster wagged its head eagerly, like it was itching for a playful tussle.
"Sure, let's do it."
Lucien raised his wand and fired off a full-body bind—Petrificus Totalus.
But the spell hit Luster like it sank into quicksand; the qilin didn't even flinch.
Lucien's eyebrow shot up, and a barrage of flashy spells poured from his wand tip.
After a few minutes of testing...
He figured it out: Most basic spells bounced right off the little qilin harmlessly. Only the beefed-up, high-power advanced ones left a scratch on those scales—and even then, just a mark.
No wonder the system said a growth-stage divine beast like a qilin matches a top-notch Auror.
Add in its natural Apparition and that weird purifying fire, and it outshines human wizards by a mile.
Now Lucien could relax—Luster could roam the Forbidden Forest and blow off steam without worrying about safety.
With its malice-sensing and Apparition, if things got dicey, it could always bolt.
Normally, he'd use the spots Hagrid marked for him, have Luster scout magical creature territories ahead, and tag along to observe and note things down.
Lucien glanced up at the sky—it was getting dark.
Tonight was a full moon, right? Perfect time to track down some of those beasts.
...
The full moon hung high, casting a silvery glow over everything.
In a clearing ringed by a few thick bushes...
Plop-plop-plop—
A handful of pale gray creatures with big round eyes bulging from their heads scampered to the center. They had four spindly legs and flat, wide feet.
They tilted their heads to the bright moon and suddenly started bouncing around.
Bathing in the moonlight, they danced on their hind legs in weird, intricate steps.
As they moved in rhythm, a faint orchid scent began to fill the air.
The creatures sniffed it and seemed to love it—their dancing got even more lively.
They didn't notice the pair of illusory emerald-green eyes watching from the nearby bushes.
An equally ghostly quill scribbled silently on parchment:
Lunatic Beasts.
Smooth skin, mainly pale gray in color...
They emerge from their burrows on full moon nights.
They love dancing under the moonlight—the moves are odd but somehow captivating.
(Purpose of the dance unknown for now—needs more observation.)
Lucien, wearing a cheering charm mask, glanced at the quietly smoldering sleeping incense at his feet, then at the beasts dancing with extra vigor.
He jotted down uncertainly: Likes the scent of orchids?
With a question mark after.
Long before the lunatic beasts arrived, Lucien had cast the Disillusionment Charm on himself and slathered on some hiding potion.
It masked his sight, smell, and sound—total invisibility.
This was the first magical creature he was documenting in detail, so he needed to log everything: looks, habits, special racial traits, material yields...
A bit longer, and the sleeping incense should kick in.
Recording a magical creature meant being thorough—from appearance to behavior, unique abilities, and what their parts could do...
Before sunrise, he'd have to collect their droppings too.
They made killer natural fertilizer—plants shot up fast and strong from it.
Wonder how it stacks up against the fertilizer potion he'd brewed.
While other first-years were snoring away in their dorms this weekend night, one newbie was out in the Forbidden Forest, soaking in the enchanting dance of the lunatic beasts.