Inside a Thunderbird nest.
Lucien gently stroked the soft feathers on the Thunderbird's chest, soothing its emotions.
After the poachers had been dealt with and the matter handed over to the Magical Congress members stationed at the reserve, Frank the Thunderbird sought out Lucien and his companions once more. It wasn't because his mate was unwell again, but because he was asking for help on behalf of other Thunderbirds of his kind.
As a result, the trio—Lucien, Stanley, and Newt—set out immediately to rescue more birds.
Lucien felt that if he could help, then he should. The process would not only build goodwill with the Thunderbirds but also allow him to observe them more closely and choose a suitable partner for the dance flight.
A dose of Bone and Blood Baptism Fluid had already been prepared for Norbert to try, and the results were quite good.
It was perfectly suited for strong, thick-skinned species like dragons and provided significant support for Norbert's growth.
Because of this, Lucien was determined to complete the loan task of dancing with a Thunderbird.
After carefully consulting the system, he learned that the dance required both Lucien and the Thunderbird to fly at full speed, maintaining similar velocities, and to continue non-stop for a hundred kilometres.
That requirement ruled out both very young Thunderbirds and those that were fully grown or nearly so.
The former might not be able to sustain a hundred kilometres of flight, while the latter flew far too fast. Lucien estimated that even at his limit, he wouldn't be able to keep up.
Choosing the right partner for the dance, therefore, was crucial.
Fortunately, he possessed animal affinity and could communicate with them directly. Otherwise, carrying this out would have been quite troublesome.
Hmm, he could also ask Frank, the king of the Thunderbirds, for help. Among this flock, he would certainly be able to find a suitable candidate.
Taking a cooking station out of his gourd, Lucien followed Newt's methods and began preparing food and nutrient mixtures that Thunderbirds enjoyed.
Newt and Stanley, having finished their own tasks, stood at the cave entrance, watching Lucien cook while gently stroking the Thunderbird nearby.
Each of them was lost in their own thoughts. After a moment, Stanley spoke first.
"Newt, I actually have many questions. When did Transfiguration on your side advance to this level? Transfiguring magical creatures?"
"Although I don't know much about Transfiguration, this should fall into the realm of taboos, shouldn't it? I've never heard of a wizard who could truly transfigure magical creatures!"
Newt also found Stanley's question difficult to answer.
"I've been living rather reclusively in recent years, so I haven't paid much attention to the cutting edge of magical academia…"
Stanley stroked his chin.
"That doesn't add up. Such a major breakthrough would be enough to be published in the most authoritative academic journals, like Transfiguration Journeys over in Britain. And…"
"Newt, according to your system, the creator of such magic would certainly receive an Order of Merlin—at least Second Class, if not First. News like that would definitely reach us here."
Newt murmured in reply,
"I don't know either. Maybe Lucien researched and developed it himself?"
Silence.
The two wizards suddenly fell quiet.
"Uh, Newt, that possibility… Lucien is certainly a young talent, but to create an entirely new field…" Stanley coughed lightly. "By the way, I also wanted to ask—how old is Lucien? He looks quite young."
Hearing the question, Newt's expression turned a little strange, as if recalling their first meeting in the Forbidden Forest.
"About… twelve or thirteen?"
Stanley's gaze snapped back from Lucien to Newt in astonishment.
"How old?"
"I'm not completely sure of his exact age. In any case, he's just finished his first year at Hogwarts and will be entering his second year after the holidays."
Stanley's eyes shifted back and forth between Lucien and Newt. After a long moment, he let out a slow breath.
"Newt, I know you wouldn't lie to me, but isn't this a bit too exaggerated?"
"Even if affinity with magical creatures is a talent, Lucien's skill in potion handling, and… regardless of who created that magical creature Transfiguration, it must be an extremely advanced and complex branch of Transfiguration. Does that really sound like something a young wizard who hasn't even entered his second year could master?"
Stanley's rapid-fire questions made Newt scratch his curly hair awkwardly. In the end, he could only fall back on the most universal explanation.
"I talked with Dumbledore about it. He said this child has extraordinary aptitude… and is a genius."
If Dumbledore had given such an evaluation, then it was hardly surprising.
Dumbledore's prestige was universally acknowledged throughout the global magical community.
Although Stanley still found it difficult to believe, one thought in his mind grew stronger. He asked in a half-joking tone,
"I wonder if Lucien would like to stay and spend some time in the United States? He seems quite interested in Ilvermorny."
Newt inexplicably grew a little wary, sensing some hidden meaning behind his friend's words.
"Lucien is a child who loves learning. It's natural for him to be curious about different styles of magical schools."
Stanley nodded, the smile in his eyes widening.
"Haha, a good child who loves to learn—that's truly wonderful, truly wonderful."
"Oh, right. I saw Lucien use a container with an Undetectable Extension Charm to hold a dragon before…"
"That one's mine."
Before Stanley could finish speaking, Newt replied at once.
Privately owning dragons was illegal, but Newt was an exception. His case contained countless magical creatures, and this was part of his work rescuing and protecting them.
As such, the Ministry of Magic's laws did not apply to Newt in this regard.
Lucien, however, was still young and had yet to accumulate Newt's reputation and standing.
The reason Newt had been expelled from Hogwarts back then was because a magical creature he was raising had harmed someone. Although it wasn't Newt who was responsible, he had taken the blame entirely for the sake of his good friend and future sister-in-law.
Newt had never forgotten that incident and naturally didn't want Lucien to follow the same path.
So he was more than willing to shoulder the responsibility himself.
At the same time, a thought in Newt's mind grew increasingly clear. It had first taken shape during their previous meeting in the Forbidden Forest, when they had saved the Unicorn together.
Since Lucien had both talent and genuine interest in magical creatures, a larger and safer suitcase would be far more suitable for him.
"Haha, Newt, don't be so nervous. I was just chatting casually. Do you really think I'd deliberately report this child to your Ministry of Magic, get him expelled from Hogwarts, and then take the chance to recruit him into Ilvermorny?"
…
Newt was left speechless, but he understood his friend's character and knew it was only a joke.
That said, Newt still felt there was some truth hidden in Stanley's words—such as the desire to recruit Lucien into Ilvermorny.
Newt silently made up his mind. He absolutely could not let Lucien be "kidnapped" later on.
If one trip ended with Hogwarts losing such a student, Dumbledore would probably come to him personally for tea.
Lucien, still busy cooking, overheard their conversation and couldn't help but sigh, feeling that Mr Stanley was also a rather interesting person.
If there were an opportunity, he really would like to visit Ilvermorny. Unfortunately, magical schools around the world didn't seem to have the concept of exchange students, which took away much of the fun.
Lucien's thoughts drifted further. If he ever had the chance to change the magical world's education system in the future, perhaps activities that encouraged communication and shared learning could be introduced more often.
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