— — — — — —
Tom absolutely hadn't expected to raise three lazy unicorns.
Watching them half-kneel and start resting right after finishing their evaluation, Tom, who was usually calm, finally lost his temper. Marching over, he gave each of them a good smack.
What a disgrace—slacking off like this in someone else's home, no less!
"Still slacking? Get moving! You'll only get your Patronus treats after you meet the standards Mr. Newt set! No more from today until then."
"Wuuu!"
The three unicorns instantly protested. Life was perfect the way it was—eat, sleep, repeat. Why exercise?
But Tom wasn't falling for the cuteness this time. He shoved and pushed them until they were running laps.
Here he was, grinding day and night, studying and traveling nonstop, while these three had developed pampered-lifestyle diseases.
How was that fair?!
"...."
Newt, watching Tom furiously chase after the unicorns, couldn't help but shake his head.
That's what happens when you treat magical creatures like pets. Spoil them too much and they lose their wild instincts. Still, it wasn't an unsolvable problem. As long as Tom stayed firm, Newt figured the unicorns would be back to normal before they left America.
Then Newt, ever resourceful, crafted a special feed using local materials suited to their current state.
"..."
While Newt busied himself, Tom stood watching and was suddenly reminded of Professor Oak.
"Time to grind."
Tom didn't just stand around for long. The sanctuary wasn't just a paradise for magical creatures—it was also a haven for magical herbs. Magical animals and plants had always existed in a symbiotic relationship, and Newt's collection was even more extensive than the Forbidden Forest's.
Tom's eyes practically sparkled at the sight of all the rare herbs and materials lying around.
With Newt's permission, he immediately began a treasure hunt. It felt like letting a Niffler loose in Gringotts. He wanted to pocket everything shiny or useful—whether he needed it or not.
His brain could only try to convince his hands to show some restraint. (That failed.)
He stayed busy until nightfall, only leaving the sanctuary when Tina called them in for dinner.
---
Tina's face was full of disapproval. "Tom, you better not turn out like Newt—holed up in that suitcase all day and never talking to people. You're not a Hufflepuff! How are you even getting along with this old guy?"
"Because love for magical creatures knows no House," Tom replied.
Newt beamed with joy.
Tina, on the other hand, looked like she wanted to smack him with a spoon.
Tom quickly followed up, "But I'm not as... generous as Mr. Newt. I only like a few types of magical creatures. I just spent a lot of time today gathering materials."
Tina was finally satisfied. "If there's anything you like, take it. If you can't find it, ask Newt to help. And go out more tomorrow—don't just stay cooped up at home."
Tom nodded obediently. He was planning to head out.
Since he was already abroad, he figured he should bring back some souvenirs for the girls. He might as well visit a few landmarks while he was at it, treat it like a sightseeing trip.
But the next day, Tom was left scratching his head in frustration.
He'd made a dumb mistake—what kind of souvenirs could you even buy in a country with less history than a British cookbook? Leaves?
What nonsense.
And those towering skyscrapers? All they did was cast shadows over streets full of homeless people. It wasn't nearly as glamorous as it looked from afar.
Basically, he'd wasted an entire day wandering around. In the end, he just grabbed a few Transformers and some dolls to count as gifts.
Of course, he wasn't planning to give them as-is—he'd revamp them before handing them over. Otherwise, they were too plain.
Also... the Transformers were actually for himself. Yeah, he just loved them.
---
When he got back to Newt's place, he was greeted with good news: they'd finally been cleared to visit the Thunderbird Sanctuary the next day.
Getting into the sanctuary wasn't easy. You had to apply to the MACUSA (Magical Congress of the United States of America), go through a strict vetting process, and be squeaky clean—no criminal history, no record of poaching or harming magical creatures. You also had to provide a legit reason for entry that MACUSA recognized.
The whole process could take a long time.
Luckily, Newt was the applicant. A world-renowned expert in magical creatures with a spotless reputation—so trustworthy that even if the president of MACUSA said Newt was a poacher, no one would believe such a thing.
Plus, they had connections. Tina had gone on to become the head Auror and trained a whole generation of successors, so naturally, their paperwork got fast-tracked.
Just like the saying—behind every successful man is a woman who lets him live off her.
Dumbledore had the chance once... and blew it. Which was why, in a way, he kind of failed at life.
"How are we getting there?" Tom asked.
Newt pulled out two slips of paper. "I bought us plane tickets for tomorrow."
Tom twitched. "Airplanes? That's way slower than Floo Powder or a Portkey."
Newt sighed. "I'm getting old. Can't handle all those jarring forms of travel anymore. A plane's just fine—we can even nap during the flight."
Tom was pretty sure he was just making stuff up. If a unicorn got sick, Newt would still be fine running circles around it. But since the tickets were already bought, he let it go.
On the morning of departure, Tom placed Usaki into Newt's magical suitcase world and told her to enjoy a few days of solo life.
That had actually been Newt's idea—when Tom reined in his draconic aura, it was barely noticeable, so Thunderbirds wouldn't be affected. But Usaki was a different story. Even though she hadn't reached adulthood yet, her aura was already stronger than a standard fire dragon's. It was safer to keep her at home.
And she only agreed because he bribed her with another 300-pound meteorite.
Before they left, Newt pulled out a backup suitcase and stuffed it with a bunch of strange magical creatures.
They weren't just walking zoos—they were Newt's bodyguards.
Once everything was ready, Tom and Newt headed out and flagged down a cab to the airport.
After more than five hours of flying, they finally arrived in Phoenix, the capital of Arizona. From there, Newt grabbed Tom's shoulder, Apparated twice in quick succession, and brought them to a small town.
The town was dusty and sunbaked, its streets crisscrossing through rows of crooked houses. It was buzzing with people, most of them wearing cowboy hats to shield themselves from the scorching sun.
Tom even spotted a few folks walking around with both wands and hunting rifles strapped to their hips — clearly hybrids in both worlds.
Newt led the way, explaining softly as they walked, "This is Thunderbird Town — named after the magical creature, obviously."
"There are tons of magical creatures here besides Thunderbirds," he continued. "Many wizarding families and companies have set up breeding grounds and material processing factories around the sanctuary. Add the growing number of curious tourists, and it naturally turned into a pure wizarding town. It's pretty much the Southwest's magical hub now. Even MACUSA has an office here."
Tom nodded. Made sense.
The wizarding population in North America far outnumbered that of the UK — by several times. With a country this massive, there was no way one central government could keep everything in check. Having regional centers was only natural.
"I've got a house here," Newt added. "We'll stay there for the time being."
But then Tom suddenly stopped. Newt followed his gaze… and immediately flushed.
"Oh… that…" he muttered awkwardly.
Tom grinned. "Come on, that's nothing to be embarrassed about. You should be proud."
He was staring at a towering bronze statue — a Thunderbird bowing its head slightly as a young wizard gently reached up to touch it, suitcase in hand.
No need to guess who it was. The statue clearly honored the legendary moment when Newt Scamander rescued a Thunderbird from poachers.
"They really went overboard…" Newt mumbled, looking deeply uncomfortable. "I just did what anyone should've done."
"You're too humble," Tom replied with a shake of his head. "Doing the right thing isn't easy, especially not when it's inconvenient or dangerous. What you see as your duty — most people would see as extraordinary."
Newt picked up the pace, clearly trying to escape further praise before his face turned permanently red.
...
The house Newt owned was a modest two-story place with a backyard. Looked pretty average compared to the neighbors.
He actually had places like this all over the world — some deep in the mountains, others smack in the middle of bustling cities. But there was one thing they all had in common: magical creatures nearby that he'd bonded with.
The Scamanders weren't exactly hurting for cash. Newt could trade even the most basic materials for a fortune.
Take yesterday, for example — Tom had gathered fluid from a Runespoor, and that stuff was worth ten times more than Acromantula venom.
"Let's just rest for today. We'll head into the sanctuary tomorrow." Once the beds were made and everything was settled, Newt said to Tom.
"Will we be coming back here afterward?" Tom asked.
Newt thought for a moment. "Normally I'd just Apparate back. But if something unexpected happens, we might have to camp out."
"Then we should stock up on food."
Newt agreed, and the two of them went around the nearby taverns and restaurants, buying up a bunch of ready-made dishes. With a bit of magic preservation, they'd stay fresh for days.
Tom handled all the talking — the socially anxious old man couldn't even bring himself to walk into crowded places.
Honestly, Tom was starting to feel like Newt had brought him along just to act as his diplomat…
---
The next morning
Newt and Tom arrived at the entrance to the sanctuary, where MACUSA Aurors were stationed to perform inspections.
The moment they saw Newt Scamander's name on the documents, the Aurors immediately became both respectful and starstruck.
To Tom's surprise, one of them even pulled out the latest edition of {Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.}
"Mr. Scamander, I'm a huge fan! I've bought every edition of your book. I was really hoping I'd get to see you while on duty — would you mind signing this?"
Caught off guard by the sudden enthusiasm, Newt looked completely overwhelmed. Tom saw his panic kicking in again and quickly stepped in, guiding him a little farther away before taking the book from the Auror.
"Sure, he'll sign it. Just give us a sec."
Acting as a middleman again, Tom handed the book back once Newt had signed it. Only then were they allowed through the checkpoint.
With no one else around, Newt relaxed and returned to his usual self. He pulled out two Nimbus 2000s and tossed one to Tom. The two of them kicked off into the sky, zipping across the open wilds.
The sanctuary stretched across a vast highland desert, nestled in the heart of the legendary Grand Canyon.
Towering saguaros—unique cacti from the monotypic genus Carnegiea—dotted the landscape.
The saguaros typically reached heights of 20 meters in normal areas… but here, under magical influence, that was the average. Some even shot up 40 meters or more.
The two wizards flew fast, weaving through hills and canyons, heading north.
The sky gradually darkened as they went, thunder rumbling through heavy clouds overhead.
CRACK—!
Lightning flashed, and a sharp, echoing cry rang out in the distance. The sky lit up — and a sleek, radiant figure soared through the clouds.
Tom's eyes sparkled.
A Thunderbird?
"Subarashi!"
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.
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T/N: Drop ur stones for bonus chapters.
200 PS = 1 bonus ch