Watching the massive tentacle sink back beneath the surface of the Black Lake after its friendly wave, Viktor fell into thoughtful silence.
It seemed the strength of his Nature Affinity after fully merging with the Heart of Nature and becoming a Druid was even greater than he'd imagined.
Back when he was a student at Hogwarts, he'd once swum down into the lake with designs on the Giant Squid—only to be casually tossed back onto shore like an annoying minnow.
During the summer holidays, he'd visited the lake again and spoken with the elders of the merpeople tribe at the bottom. The Giant Squid had barely acknowledged him then—cool, distant, almost dismissive.
But now, after completing his Druid ascension?
The same creature that used to ignore him had just waved hello like an old friend.
So… maybe there was still hope for a taste of that tentacle after all.
Viktor immediately shook his head hard, flinging the ridiculous thought away.
Sure, every Hufflepuff harbored a secret dream of trying Giant Squid.
But he was a Hogwarts professor now. How could he possibly set such a terrible example?
Right. He was a professor. Absolutely could not do anything that would undermine professorial dignity.
As he lectured himself internally, he absently reached into his pocket and pulled out something segmented, like a jointed limb.
With a casual snap, he broke off one section and handed it to Tom, who had just polished off the last of McGonagall's dried fish.
While munching on charcoal-grilled Eight-Eyed Giant Spider leg, Viktor firmly shoved that absurd squid-temptation out of his mind.
He went back to pondering the real question: what kind of unforgettable first lesson should he give the soon-to-graduate seventh-years?
Just then, two clear, bright voices snapped him out of his thoughts.
"Professor Viktor!"
He looked up to see two young witches running toward him, arms full of books, faces lit with excitement.
Leading the charge was a red-haired girl whose hair blazed like fire in the afternoon sun.
Freckles dusted her cheeks; her bright hazel eyes sparkled with the pure, starry-eyed glow of meeting an idol.
Her slightly oversized black robes fluttered around her as she ran, and she clutched a copy of Magical Creatures Here along with several rolled parchments.
Right behind her came a girl with an entirely different aura.
Pale golden hair, slightly tousled and wild, floated around her face. A pair of absurdly large carrot-shaped earrings swayed gently from her lobes.
Her large, misty silver eyes were wide open, as though she were constantly gazing at wonders no one else could see.
She moved more slowly, almost dreamily, floating rather than running.
In her arms: the same book as the redhead's, plus a brightly colored magazine whose vivid cover stood out sharply against her dark robes.
Seeing the two excited young witches racing toward him, Viktor stopped walking and broke into a warm smile.
Anyone would feel happy running into two adorable little book fans. Viktor was no exception.
When his gaze landed on the redhead's vivid hair, his eyes lit up with recognition.
He already had a strong suspicion who she was.
And the moment she reached him, breathless and beaming, her words confirmed it.
"Professor Viktor, could you sign my book? I'm Ginny Weasley. My brother Charlie talks about you all the time in his letters. Is it true you took down a dragon all by yourself?"
Faced with Ginny's rapid-fire questions, Viktor laughed and accepted the book she thrust toward him.
He pulled a sleek fountain pen from his pocket with practiced ease, signed his name with a flourish, and handed it back.
"Thank you, Ginny. I've heard Charlie mention his clever little sister. You're every bit as pretty and bright as he said."
"But about that dragon—no, I didn't do it alone. Tom and I took him down together."
At those words, Tom immediately puffed out his chest with pride.
He'd been instrumental in dealing with that overgrown lizard.
His tail even got singed—lost a whole tuft of fur!
Ginny's eyes sparkled as she turned to Tom and held out her book again.
"Then… could Mr. Tom sign it too, please?"
Tom's grin stretched ear-to-ear.
He reached behind himself, pulled out an enormous, gleaming golden fountain pen the size of a rolling pin, and scrawled his name beneath Viktor's in wild, dramatic strokes.
Ginny hugged the book—her birthday gift from Charlie—to her chest, practically glowing with joy at the twin signatures.
At that moment, the dreamy girl who'd been trailing behind finally caught up.
She placed her own copy of Magical Creatures Here in front of Viktor.
"Professor Viktor, I'm Luna Lovegood. Could I have your autograph too? And… I have some questions, if that's alright."
Meeting Luna's ethereal, clear gaze, Viktor paused for half a second, then smiled and took the book, signing it neatly.
"Of course, Luna. Ask away—anything I know the answer to, I'll tell you."
There was something instantly likable about this girl with her pure, unguarded eyes.
That kind of clear, innocent curiosity—he'd only ever seen it in magical creatures… and in a handful of wizards like his grandfather.
It was the purest form of wonder and love for the unknown.
Luna met his gaze without a trace of shyness. Her voice was soft but earnest, full of quiet hope.
"Professor Viktor, while you were traveling the world, did you ever see a Crumple-Horned Snorkack? Or a Nargle? Or perhaps a Heliopath?"
She went on to describe each creature in careful, vivid detail.
Viktor listened seriously, thought for a moment, then shook his head gently.
"I'm sorry, Luna. In all my travels, I've never encountered those particular creatures."
Luna's bright silver eyes dimmed instantly, like clouds passing over the moon.
"But," Viktor continued, his tone warm and steady, "just because I haven't seen them doesn't mean they don't exist."
"Maybe we simply haven't found them yet."
"The world is vast—enormous. There are countless unknowns still waiting out there for us to discover."
"And hidden in those unknown places are thousands of magical little beings we've never laid eyes on."
He looked straight into Luna's eyes as they slowly lifted and brightened again.
"Or perhaps these little creatures only want to be seen by the witches and wizards they like. Maybe they choose who gets to meet them."
Luna's gaze cleared completely. A small, dreamy smile curved her lips.
"Thank you, Professor," she said softly. "That makes perfect sense."
Behind her, Ginny was still hugging her signed book like treasure.
Tom—now sporting an even smugger expression after his dramatic signature—gave Luna a gentlemanly little bow.
Viktor chuckled and ruffled Tom's ears.
The afternoon sun continued to shine warmly over the Black Lake.
And somewhere beneath the dark water, an ancient Giant Squid might have been smiling to itself.
After all… not every magical creature wants to be found.
Some just enjoy waving hello once in a while.