Chapter 166: Boss, The New Edition of "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them"
As the finish point drew near, Leonardo could already make out Newt's figure on the mountaintop.
A clear cry rang out. Leonardo, just a feather's breadth ahead of the Thunderbird, shot past the spot where Newt was standing.
Newt did not even see the two shapes that blurred over his head. All he felt was the sudden blast of wind.
Leonardo shifted back into human form and landed, chest rising and falling with a mix of exhaustion and exhilaration.
[Ding. Congratulations, host, on completing the Thunderbird Dance. The Bone and Blood Baptism Draught loan has now been repaid.]
"Cheep!"
The Thunderbird dropped down beside him with a bright, ringing call.
Leonardo caught the meaning in its voice.
"Boss, I am starving. I want to eat!"
He could only laugh and reach into his pocket, pulling out a thick steak, braised ribs, roast ostrich…
All of it had been kept warm and fresh with magic. The temperature and texture were no different from the moment he had cooked them.
With the Thunderbird's special nutrient draught poured out beside them, the feast was complete.
It had flown with him and trained with him for days. He was not about to skimp on a promised reward.
He did, however, wonder when exactly it had decided to start calling him "Boss".
Watching the Thunderbird wolf down the food, he decided to leave the question for later.
"Leonardo, no matter how many times I see it, your Transfiguration is astonishing," Newt said as he walked up. The praise was wholehearted.
"By the way, have you been to the Ministry to register as an Animagus?"
"Not yet," Leonardo said. "But Professor Dumbledore said he will take me to the Ministry over the summer."
Newt nodded, reassured. Unregistered Animagi who were caught ended up in prison.
"Good. With Dumbledore involved, it will be simple enough."
With that worry set aside, he settled in to chat, especially about all the oddities of Animagi. He was genuinely curious.
There were only seven registered Animagi in the world. With Leonardo, that would make eight.
There were certainly illegal ones out there, but they did not exactly volunteer their secrets.
To most people, an Animagus was still something half‑legendary.
Leonardo stuck to the "normal" side of things as he described the process, talking about the ability to communicate with one's animal counterpart.
Newt sighed. "I did think about trying to become an Animagus when I was younger," he admitted. "That kind of communication is very tempting. But I could never quite bring myself to risk it.
"So I admire you lot. It takes nerve—more than most people have."
Remembering how close the final stage of the transformation had come to killing him, Leonardo understood Newt's reluctance.
And Newt had never really needed that gift. His natural affinity, plus decades of patient work, had already given him something very close to speech with beasts.
He was, after all, the foremost authority on magical creatures alive.
After a while, the two of them Apparated back to Stormtown.
The Thunderbird, still busy devouring its feast on the mountain, felt something was wrong. It raised its head and looked around, only to find the cliff‑top empty.
"Cheep?"
…
Half a day later.
They sought out Frank, the Thunderbird king, one more time. Newt opened his case and released the Thunderbird he had long planned to return to the wild.
With Newt and Leonardo explaining on both sides, Frank accepted the newcomer with ease.
The mating season was nearly over. Bringing in a new bird now would not spark any great competition.
"Whew. We have gathered a lot of material this time," Newt said. "I might be able to update Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them when we get back."
"Oh, you are going to bring out the fifty‑third edition?" Leonardo asked, delighted.
The book had already gone through fifty‑two editions, every one of them thicker and richer than the last as Newt added new discoveries and corrections.
A new release would send a wave through the wizarding world.
Newt nodded, a smile tugging at his mouth. "Yes. And I should thank you for that, Leonardo."
"Thank me?"
"Yes. Do you remember the first records you sent me? The ones on Acromantulas and unicorns?"
"Of course," Leonardo said. He had spent more than half a month in the Forbidden Forest to compile them.
"It is not just those," Newt went on. "The unicorn birth in the Forbidden Forest—experiences like that are priceless. And these past few days, with your ability to speak to the creatures directly, the Thunderbird chapter alone could grow by several pages.
"If you are willing, I would like to include all of this in the book. May I?"
Leonardo saw no reason to refuse. That was what knowledge was for.
It could be deep enough that only a few ever reached it, but it should never be fenced off and hoarded.
Real knowledge was not diminished by being shared. It was made lasting.
Helping more people learn was its own reward.
And setting down accurate accounts of magical creatures for future generations was undeniably meaningful.
He thought of all the species Muggles had driven to extinction. By the time they realised what they had done, it had been too late. All that remained were a few scraps of description.
"Of course," he said. "It is a good thing for more people to know about them."
The simple answer left Newt oddly dazed.
Yes. Letting more people know them—know the creatures of the world—that was what he had spent his entire life doing.
"Yes. Yes, it is a good thing," he said, more firmly.
His voice shook a little with excitement. At the same time, he felt certain he had not misjudged the boy. The field of magical creatures could not do without Leonardo.
There was something he had meant to say out loud, but he decided, suddenly, to keep it back. Better to make it a surprise.
In the new edition of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, he would give Leonardo Grafton pride of place in the acknowledgements.
The boy deserved no less.
And he had another "little idea" as well.
This was the perfect starting point to build Leonardo's name. If he entered the field of magical creatures with a reputation already waiting for him, his path after graduation would be far smoother. It might even shape which path he chose.
When he had spoken with Dumbledore, they had agreed to respect Leonardo's own decisions. But this was not forcing him. It was only laying an extra road before him, and paving it well.
With the release settled, Leonardo followed Newt back to Stormtown. The American trip had gone as well as anyone could have hoped.
A bit of packing, and it would be time to go home.
"Cheep!"
As Leonardo was sorting his things, a piercing cry echoed overhead. He opened the window.
A Thunderbird was circling over Stormtown, calling again and again.
Leonardo listened, baffled, as the meaning came through. The bird kept repeating:
"Boss, where are you? Why did you not take me back to your territory?"
He squinted up at it, recognising the bird he had flown with.
Which only left him more confused.
"What on earth are you talking about?" he muttered.