Chapter 357: The Owloragon
"Can an owl really turn into a dragon?"
"I've never seen anything like it—"
"Professor Scamander, is that what you'd call an Owloragon?"
A group of young wizards and witches crowded around Newt, chattering with excitement. They were certain that the world-renowned Professor Scamander would have the answer to their mystery.
"It is the result of a specific alchemical construct," Newt explained patiently, though he kept his gaze fixed on a patch of grass rather than looking directly at them.
"Oh—"
A collective sound of realization rippled through the class.
"It's the Fairy Tale Biscuits, then," a girl named Tina whispered, looking at Sean with an expression bordering on reverence.
"I heard they only sell them in Diagon Alley back in Britain," another student added.
A few heads turned toward Sean for a brief moment before their attention was snatched back by Newt. After all, Professor Scamander was currently introducing them to a Niffler. The creature was covered in fluffy black fur and had a long snout, which it was currently using to sniff curiously at the nearest students.
As for the biscuits, the students were well aware of them. If something was reported on for months by The Daily Prophet, Witch Weekly, and Transfiguration Today, you'd have to be living under a rock not to know what it was. Not to mention the latest Chocolate Frog card featuring the inventor—even if it only showed his silhouette.
Sean, meanwhile, was gently tapping Snowy on the head. The silver-white owl looked thoroughly piqued; she let out a huffy little sound and rotated her head a full hundred and eighty degrees to avoid looking at him.
Tucked away in Sean's pocket, the Occamy remained curled up next to Tila the Bowtruckle. Both were acting like silent spectators. Sean was still surprised by the Occamy's behavior; he hadn't expected it to climb into his pocket of its own accord. He extended a finger, and the creature—sensing his intent—slid onto his hand. It felt cool and smooth, like polished silk.
[Alert: You have gained the affinity of the magical creature Occamy (Una) at an Expert standard. Proficiency +50]
Sean marveled at the system notification. He had once again underestimated the sheer power of an "Epic" tier affinity for magical beasts.
Care of Magical Creatures eventually drew to a close.
"Mr. Green, would you stay behind for a moment?" Newt asked.
The students all turned to look at Sean, who gave a sharp nod.
"I wish I were in Britain," a tall wizard grumbled as they headed back to the castle. "I'd buy enough biscuits to get Scamander to notice me too."
"You'd need an invitation first," the girl, Tina, noted with a sidelong glance.
"But did you see how that Occamy acted? It seemed so fond of him," a red-headed witch asked curiously. "That's not how they're described in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them."
"Occamy eggs are worth a fortune—the shells are pure silver," Tina explained with the characteristic precision of a Horned Serpent. "Wizards hunt them ruthlessly. Usually, they're incredibly aggressive. I've never heard of one acting like a common pet."
The students' voices faded as they disappeared over the ridge, leaving Sean alone with the legendary magizoologist.
In Sean's pocket, the Occamy suddenly darted out. As if sensing its arrival, Newt flicked a latch on his leather case, allowing a small gap to appear.
"An Occamy can grow to reach nine stories in height," Newt said softly, "yet even at that size, they retain their childhood fear of owls. Just like Alfie here—he's a Niffler, but when we least expected it, he managed to steal the one thing that mattered most. Every living thing, no matter how small, has its own unique path."
Sean paused, understanding the weight of the old man's words. He knew the history: it had been a Niffler that stole the blood pact between Dumbledore and Grindelwald right before their final confrontation. That event had happened shortly after Newt had caused a massive stir at the Ministry of Magic.
Dumbledore, Newt, Harry... they all have a habit of making a mess of the Ministry, Sean thought. Maybe it's a graduation requirement for the best Hogwarts students.
"Does he drink tea?" Sean asked, gesturing to the Niffler.
Newt blinked, then let out a sudden, genuine laugh. He finally looked Sean directly in the eye.
"Better stick to milk," Newt replied. "And remember to hide your spoons."
For a moment, the air between them felt familiar, as if this exact conversation had happened before between a professor and a student within the walls of Hogwarts.
"I can see you have a profound gift for understanding magical creatures," Newt said, tilting his head as he tucked the Niffler back into a pocket. "The animals can always sense who is a friend. Would you like to see?"
Sean nodded vigorously. Whether or not there was a Wampus Cat inside, the opportunity to learn from Newt was priceless. The knowledge he could gain here would be an enormous boost to his work on the Undetectable Extension charms and the Fairy Tale rituals.
Newt placed his worn leather case on the snow. He stepped onto a small ladder inside the case and began to descend, his body disappearing bit by bit. Despite being ninety-five, he was still remarkably spry.
Once Newt had been "swallowed" by the case, Sean took a breath and stepped onto the ladder himself.
Crossing through the narrow opening, Sean was met with a breathtaking sight. It was a vast, sprawling world contained within the leather walls. He saw a sweeping tropical savanna, a dense rain forest, and a sprawling woodland. In the distance, he could see snow-capped mountains, deep caverns, and rolling sand dunes.
High above the other habitats, floating islands of vines and moss were illuminated by the soft, pulsing glow of thousands of insects—Newt's glow-worm hatchery.
The environments were perfectly segmented and maintained by complex magic. Right next to the arctic peaks, a scorching savanna stretched out, home to several trees where a Graphorn was rubbing its horns.
A Bowtruckle scurried from a nearby tree and leaped onto Sean's shoulder. Sean looked at it with fascination, while Newt watched from the side with a faint, proud smile.
"Those who are recognized by the creatures, those with the greatest gifts... they are usually the ones chosen to walk a path of great responsibility," Newt noted, turning to walk deeper into the sanctuary.
"So... why do we, as a community and as individuals, continue to protect and conceal magical beasts, even those who are savage and untamable?" Sean quoted from memory. "The answer, of course, is this: to ensure that future generations of wizards and witches may enjoy the same right we have to appreciate their strange beauty and singular powers."
"Few people remember that passage," Newt said, looking at Sean with a touch of bashfulness at hearing his own words read back to him. "It isn't as flashy as the entries on dragons or manticores."
"I think... magical creatures deserve to share the same world we do," Sean said, stroking Snowy's feathers. In the Chamber and in the Forbidden Forest, Snowy and Tila had been more than pets—they were his comrades.
Newt looked at the boy with a start. The description in Dumbledore's letter had been accurate, but the reality of the boy's spirit was even more impressive.
"Follow me," Newt said with a wide smile.
[End of Chapter 357]
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