"Oh, I almost forgot about this!"
Seeing Wade's pen case, Steven slapped his forehead, quickly walked out of the bedroom, and soon returned with a brown bag, saying:
"Occamys are very sensitive to the scent of their own kind. You need to put your pen case in this bag, otherwise you might be attacked by the Occamys on the farm."
"Okay." Wade took the bag, habitually checking the runes and spell combinations on it.
"Is this Professor Morray's work?"
"Yes... How did you know?" Steven asked, puzzled.
"Everyone's alchemy work carries their personal style; if you're familiar, you can tell at a glance," Wade explained.
Steven: "..."
Was there any obvious difference between this brown deerskin bag and those sold in stores?
He didn't understand, but he was also used to not dwelling too much on areas he wasn't good at.
One could Floo directly from Arbor Manor to Gramling Farm—Steven's farm was named Gramling (a type of Pegasus), and his yearning was practically overflowing.
In the morning, Wade stretched in the sunlight, hearing his bones seemingly creak.
He strolled along the path between the red-brick cottages, limbering up.
It had been dark when he arrived at the farm last night, and Wade had gone straight to sleep in the guest room after washing up. Today was his first chance to properly see the farm.
Unlike the magnificent castle of Arbor Manor, the farm's buildings consisted of just over a dozen red-brick cottages, making it look, at first glance, like a remote ancient village.
The farm was nestled by mountains and water, with excellent scenery and incredibly fresh air.
Some simple fences, bushes, and fir trees diWaded the farm into large and small areas, interspersed with wild grass and colorful flowers, making it serene and beautiful.
Gramling Farm, like all wizarding residences, had been enchanted with Concealment Charms and Expelling Charms, making it entirely absent from Muggle maps.
Thus, it hadn't been tinged with the scent of steel and gasoline by rapidly developing modern technology. This place, rarely trodden by humans, was truly a paradise for animals.
Among the leaves, tiny blue birds flitted joyfully, yet made no sound;
Hidden in the thorny bushes were teardrop-shaped nests, from which a small, vulture-like bird poked its head out, its dark green wings folded, wearing a perpetually worried expression.
Some green creatures, resembling both frogs and lizards, squatted on branches or hid beneath leaves. They wore devilish grins, had a red pustule on their heads, and mouths full of sharp teeth, looking quite unfriendly.
"These are Tree-Frog Monkeys."
Steven said, walking up from behind Wade.
He extended his hand, and the previously ill-tempered Tree-Frog Monkey hopped onto it, its lizard-like long tail gently curling around his thumb.
Steven stroked its head and said, "If they sense danger, the pustule on their head will flash red. That's why their pus is one of the ingredients for Sneakoscopes."
He brought his palm close to a branch and gently shook his arm. The Tree-Frog Monkey jumped off and quickly disappeared among the leaves.
A Bowtruckle was stepped on by a Tree-Frog Monkey. It slowly shifted its body, the leaves on its head trembling slightly.
"This place is really interesting," Wade said. "I'm starting to understand why you want to be a Magizoologist."
"Mm. This world is so vibrant because of their existence."
Steven sighed softly, saying, "But suitable habitats for magical creatures are becoming scarcer, and protecting them is becoming more and more difficult. Even dragons, if discovered by Muggles, would hardly be spared."
"So I want to do everything I can to protect them, to proWade them with an undisturbed living space. I also hope more people realize that protecting magical creatures is important and fun."
"A very noble ideal," Wade said. "If there's anything I can help with, just say the word."
Steven smiled happily: "When I need help, I definitely won't hesitate to ask! Considering—"
He suddenly fell silent, his eyes fixed on Wade's back.
A strange snapping sound came from among the leaves, and large flocks of birds chirped and flapped their wings, all flying away.
Wade turned around and saw a blue-gray behemoth, at least three meters in diameter from its appearance, slowly gliding through the forest.
Looking closely, its body wasn't touching the ground at all; it was actually floating in the air.
"Don't be afraid, this is an Occamy. You know, it doesn't eat people."
Steven pressed Wade's shoulder and whispered, "It's a bit timid, just don't disturb it."
That Occamy suddenly darted out, its hawk-like beak seizing a small blue bird.
It stretched its neck and swallowed it, its body quickly shrinking to the size of an ordinary python. Then it glided through the gaps in the trees, finally coiling onto a tall pine tree.
Its body shrunk even smaller, eventually hiding under a leaf, almost invisible.
"Let's go," Steven said. "It'll need some time to digest!"
After walking some distance, Wade said, "I thought you would stop it from hunting the Diricawl."
Steven shook his head. "Protecting magical creatures isn't about caging them with abundant food. I just want to prevent them from being harmed by humans, but the predatory relationships among them shouldn't be forcibly changed."
Wade secretly nodded and asked, "Maintaining a farm like this must be quite expensive, right? If you need funds, I can proWade some."
The Galleons in his vault were increasing every second; letting them sit idle was pointless, so it might as well be used for something meaningful.
"That's not necessary yet," Steven smiled. "The house-elves collect all the feathers, scales, shed snake skins, shed horns, etc., that the magical creatures naturally lose. Selling them brings in a large sum of money, enough to maintain the farm."
He showed a childlike, proud smile: "Don't look at me like this... I'm a big rich man! I only needed my father's financial support for the first two years after the farm was established; after that, I've been self-sufficient."
"How many kinds of magical creatures are kept here in total?" Wade asked curiously.
"Hmm..."
Steven was stumped for a moment. He thought for a while before saying:
"There are always twenty to thirty kinds... but I can't say for sure. Because some creatures always quietly move in when I'm not paying attention."
"Newly arrived creatures are always more cautious; sometimes I only discover subtle traces after they've brought their whole families. If they don't cause trouble, I generally leave them be."
However, magical creatures that have lived there for a longer time—like those Tree-Frog Monkeys—regard Steven as a companion or even a protector, being very affectionate towards him.
Wade imagined this kind of life for Steven. Even without a deep love for magical creatures himself, a sense of longing arose within him.
Steven checked the time and said, "Your friends should be arriving soon. Let's go meet them."
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