Knock, knock, knock—
In Dorset, atop a small hill, a gentle tapping echoed through the night.
"Who's there?"
Newt Scamander shuffled out of his bedroom, rubbing his head. He'd spent the day helping a female Bowtruckle deliver, and his old bones were thoroughly worn out.
He'd been about to turn in early when the knocking started.
"Strange," he muttered. "Hardly anyone knows this address. Could it be an old friend?"
As if sensing his approach, the knocking stopped. With a creak, Newt opened the door.
Standing before him was a magnificent creature, its pale golden scales gleaming under the moonlight. Its crimson-gold mane flowed like burning clouds, moving as if stirred by an unseen breeze, wreathed in golden mist.
But it was the creature's eyes that held Newt captive—clear and serene, like the purest glass.
Newt, expecting a person, was utterly gobsmacked.
A never-before-seen magical creature knocking on his door in the middle of the night? Anyone would be stunned.
"This… this…" he stammered.
"Are you Mr. Newt Scamander?" A melodic, ethereal voice rang directly in Newt's mind.
Startled, Newt thought someone else was speaking and craned his neck to check outside. But no one was there—just this creature, gazing at him calmly.
"I have a letter for Mr. Scamander," the voice continued.
"I'm Newt Scamander," he said hesitantly. "Are you… speaking to me?"
"Yes, sir. You may call me Luster. I'm delivering a letter on behalf of my master."
A cloud of shimmering mist lifted a satchel from Luster's neck, and an envelope floated into Newt's hands.
Newt took the letter, eager to read it inside—the chilly night air wasn't kind to an old man like him.
"Er, Luster, would you like to come in?" he asked, stumbling over the unusual name.
"Thank you for the invitation," Luster replied.
The qilin followed Newt inside, its steps so light they made no sound. When using telepathy earlier, Luster had deliberately adopted an ethereal tone, as its master had instructed. Apparently, a "cute, babyish" voice might make others underestimate it or think it was easily fooled.
Newt settled into a chair and began reading the letter. He couldn't immediately place who this magical creature's owner might be—none of his old friends came to mind.
"Dear Mr. Newt Scamander,
I am Lucien Grafton. Thank you for your guidance on the Undetectable Extension Charm…"
The opening jogged Newt's memory. That's right! This was the young student Dumbledore had mentioned, the one he'd advised about the Extension Charm.
He hadn't expected a reply so soon. From the letter, it was clear Lucien had a strong grasp of Charms and Alchemy, impressive even for an upper-year student.
But what was this creature?
Newt couldn't resist glancing at Luster, his eyes brimming with curiosity about this unknown species.
"Mr. Scamander, is something the matter?" Luster asked.
"Oh, nothing," Newt replied, shaking his head.
The creature's fluent, polite communication felt almost human, which was a bit disarming for the socially awkward Newt. He adored magical creatures and loved interacting with them, but this was a new experience.
Continuing through the letter, Newt nodded thoughtfully. Lucien's questions showed a solid understanding of the Extension Charm, now focusing on refining the details.
But when Lucien asked about Erumpents, Newt's brow furrowed. Erumpent explosive fluid was dangerous—too risky for a student, even an advanced one, to handle.
At the end of the letter, Lucien added a special request: his pet was a unique magical creature, and he hoped Newt would keep it confidential for now.
Newt wholeheartedly agreed. Having studied magical creatures for decades, he knew some wizards coveted rare species, treating them as mere test subjects or potion ingredients. Though he'd spent years advocating for their protection, a few extremists still lingered.
Newt began drafting a reply, addressing Lucien's questions about the Extension Charm but gently declining on the Erumpent matter:
"I'm sorry, but handling such dangerous substances requires extensive knowledge of magical creatures. Of course, if you're truly interested, I'd be happy to discuss it after you graduate…"
As Newt wrote, Tina wandered into the living room, yawning and rubbing her eyes. Seeing Newt up late reading and writing, she wondered if it was another letter from Dumbledore.
She glanced around for Fawkes, Dumbledore's phoenix, and then spotted Luster.
"Newt, what's that?" she asked.
"Oh, Tina, this is, er…" Newt faltered. "This is the pet of that student I mentioned, Lucien Grafton, the one who asked about the Extension Charm."
Tina nodded, recalling the boy from Dumbledore's letter. "Right, but what kind of magical creature is it?"
Newt paused, looking from Tina to Luster. He genuinely didn't know. If he had to guess, it vaguely resembled an Eastern qilin, but the differences were stark—both in appearance and abilities—compared to the qilin he'd rescued decades ago.
"I don't know, Tina," he admitted. "It says its name is Luster."
Tina's eyes widened. After years of marriage to Newt, she was practically a magical creature expert herself, yet she'd never heard of this one.
And Newt—the world's foremost authority on magical creatures, who'd traveled the globe documenting countless species—didn't recognize it either?
"That's got to be a rare one," she said. "Wait, you said 'it says'? It can talk?"
"Good evening, beautiful lady," Luster's ethereal voice echoed in Tina's mind.
Her eyes, bright as a Salamander's, widened further. "Oh!"
Unlike Newt, who ducked his head around strangers, Tina was warm and chatty. Recovering from her surprise, she grinned. "Luster, right? I got that correct?"
"You did," Luster confirmed.
"Good. I'm curious—magical creatures don't usually share human aesthetics. Why call me beautiful?"
Luster immediately recalled its master's instructions. "I can sense the goodness or malice in living beings. Your heart is kind, with a beautiful soul."
Tina chuckled. "That's charming. Did your master teach you to say that?"
"No, my master taught me honesty and politeness," Luster replied.
Tina's interest piqued, especially in this Lucien kid who'd trained his pet so well. "Thank you for the compliment. Could you pass a message to your master? He's welcome to visit us anytime."
Sensing Tina's delight, Luster inwardly agreed with its master's teachings. They were spot-on! Though, maybe a bit too much to remember—Luster made a mental note to suggest a lighter curriculum.
"Lucien's probably preparing for his N.E.W.T.s," Newt interjected, glancing up from his letter. "Best not disturb him for now."
Tina smirked. "Fine, he can come during the holidays or after graduation. You just don't want to meet a stranger, do you, Newt?"
Newt ducked his head, focusing back on his letter, as Tina's laughter filled the room.